Researches on morphine. Pt. 1 / by S.B. Schryver and and Frederic H. Lees.

  • Schryver, S. B. (Samuel Barnett), 1869-1929.
Date:
[1900]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Researches on morphine. Pt. 1 / by S.B. Schryver and and Frederic H. Lees. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    specimen, free from water of crystallisation, was prepared by re- crystallising from alcohol, and gave the following result : <xD = — 2°30', 1=1 dcm., c = 2*240, [a]2D5°= -111*5°. The sulphate was prepared by treating the hydrochloride with a solution of silver sulphate and evaporating the filtrate very nearly to dryness. It is excessively soluble in water, but insoluble in alcohol, and could not therefore be recrystallised. For this reason, its pro¬ perties were not accurately determined, but it differs very markedly from the neutral sulphate of morphine. Isomorphine was originally prepared by treating a concentrated solution of the hydrobromide with aqueous ammonia in the presence of ether; the freshly precipitated base is dissolved by the ether, from which, however, it rapidly separates again in a beautiful, crystalline form. Only a portion of the base could be obtained in this way, even after 15 or 20 extractions with ether. The rest remained in the alkaline liquid, and on evaporating the latter to dryness in a vacuum, a mixture of the hydrobromide with ammonium bromide was obtained. The base is best obtained, however, by decomposing the hydrochloride by sodium methoxide in methyl alcohol. Sodium chloride is precipitated, and after filtration the nearly pure base is ob¬ tained from the mother liquor. Isomorphine is free from any bitter taste. It dissolves in large quantities of ethyl alcohol, is readily soluble in methyl alcohol, but not very readily so in most other organic reagents, and can best be recrystallised from a mixture of methyl alcohol and ethyl acetate, from which it separates in the form of small, white, glistening needles melting at 246—248°. It is also soluble in, and can be recrystallised from, hot water. 0*1638 gave 0*4320 C02 and 0*1004 H20. C = 71*92; 11 = 6*81. 0*2690 ,, 11*8 c.c. moist nitrogen at 24° and 757 mm. N = 4*90. Ci7H1903N requires C = 71*6; H = 6*66; N = 4*91 per cent. A determination of the specific rotation was made with a solution of the base in methyl alcohol, and gave the following result : aD= -3°17', 1=1 dcm., c = 2*01, [a]f = -164*3°. Morphine* is similar to isomorphine in many respects, and melts at 254°. A specimen, recrystallised from methyl alcohol, from which it separates in beautiful groups of radiating crystals, gave the following * It does not seem to be generally known that morphine can be readily recrystal¬ lised from various solvents, especially methyl alcohol, in which it is quite readily soluble.