III. Researches into the chemical constitution of the opium bases. Part I.—On the action of hydrochloric acid on morphia

Abstract

It has been shown that when narcotine is heated with an excess of concentrated hydrochloric or hydriodic acid, one, two, or three molecules of methyl are successively eliminated, and a series of new bases homologous with narcotine obtained. It appeared interesting to see if any similar reactions took place with morphia; and for this purpose a quantity of that base, in a perfectly pure state, kindly furnished by Messrs. M‘Farlane, of Edinburgh, was submitted to experiment. The purity of the substance was shown by the following analysis. It was found that although crystallized morphia does not lose its water of crystallization in an ordinary steam drying-closet ( i. e . slightly below 100°), yet it readily loses the whole when placed in a Liebig’s drying-tube immersed in boiling water, dry air being aspirated over it.