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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    The investigation of the iodide produced in this way should throw further light on the constitution of isomorphine, and researches are being prosecuted in this direction. It seems, however, quite likely that isomorphine is analogous in its constitution to morphothebaine. The results are also interesting as they indicate that a slight change in the morphine molecule may render the morpholine ring unstable, and thus account for the non¬ narcotic action of such substances as chloromorphide and bromo- morphide, in view of the fact that simple synthetical morpholine derivatives like naphthalanmorpholine act physiologically like mor¬ phine. The further study of the decomposition products of morphine should offer also a chemical rationale for the physiological classification of narcotics like codeine, thebaine, morphine, &c., such as has been attempted by Bradbury and others (see Croonian Lectures, Loyal College of Physicians, British Medical Journal, or Lancet, 1899). Experimental. C h loromorphide. Twenty grams of morphine, previously dried at 120°, are introduced into a wide-mouthed flask connected with a long air condenser. Phosphorus trichloride is then added in sufficient quantity to soak through the solid mass of morphine. A fter a few moments, a vigorous reaction takes place, and the mixture froths up. The reaction is com¬ pleted by heating for 3—4 hours on a water-bath. The contents of the flask at the end of this time form a homogeneous, light-brown, pasty mass. This is then disintegrated with alcohol, in which it gradually dissolves, and after a short time chloromorphide hydro¬ chloride separates out if only a small quantity of alcohol is employed. It is advisable, however, to add enough alcohol to keep the hydro¬ chloride in solution when the mixture is slightly warmed. It is then diluted with water, made alkaline with sodium carbonate, and extracted four times with chloroform. The chloroform solution is washed several times with water to free it from alcohol, rapidly dried over calcium chloride, filtered, and the chloroform removed by dis¬ tillation ; the residue consists of white, glistening crystals of chloro¬ morphide suspended in ethyl phosphite. The crystals are collected, washed with alcohol, and being already very nearly pure can be em¬ ployed for further work without any additional purification. From 12—14 grams of base are generally obtained in this way, and a further quantity can be isolated from the syrupy filtrate by dissolving it in pure dry ether and passing dry hydrogen chloride into this solution. A white precipitate of the hydrochloride of the base is obtained; this deliquesces in the air to a pasty mass, which on further