4. On a Compound formed by the addition of Bromacetic Acid to Sulphide of Methyl, and on some of its Derivatives

Extract

The sulphine compounds discovered by v. Oefele, indicate that, notwithstanding the difference of atomicity, there exists an analogy between sulphur and nitrogen, these compounds corresponding to the salts of the ammonium bases, not only in chemical properties but also in physiological action.

The research, the results of which are communicated in this paper, was undertaken with the view of examining this analogy in some other directions.

It seemed reasonable to suppose that, as the nitrile bases, such as trimethylamine and strychnia unite with chloracetic acid to form compounds such as hydrochlorate of betaine and of glycolyl-strychnia, the sulphides of the alcohol radicals should act in a similar way. Experiments show that this is the case—bromacetic acid acting readily on sulphide of methyl to form a beautifully crystallised compound to which the authors give the name of hydrobromate of methyl-thetine. Analyses proved this substance to have the composition corresponding to the formula C⁴H⁹SBrO² which is that of the sulphur analogue of the hydrobromate of betaine.