The Manufacture or Production of New Chemical Compounds con- taining Phosphorus, from Thymus Glands or other Animal or Vegetable Products.
Year: 1898

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by THE FARBENFABRIKEN vormals FRIEDRICH BAYER
& Co., of Elberfeld, Germany.]
The Manufacture or Production of New Chemical Compounds con-
taining Phosphorus, from Thymus Glands or other Animal or
Vegetable Products.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of The Office of Patents, 6, Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My foreign correspondents have found that certain new acids containing phos-
phorus are obtained by allowing solutions of alkalies to act, at elevated tempera-
tures, on such organs or humors of animal or vegetable organisms as contain
cells capable of development. When effecting this reaction, my foreign corres-
pondents have obtained two different substances, which they term "A" and " "B,"
the former being produced after a comparatively short action of the caustic alka-
line lye, whilst the latter is the result of a prolonged treatment of the organic
materials with alkalies.
Both acids, "A" and "B," are soluble with difficulty in water, but their alka-
line salts readily dissolve in warm water. On adding mineral acids to the watery
solutions of these salts, the free acids are precipitated, but the new acids do not
separate when organic acids, such as acetic acid, are added to the solutions of
their alkaline salts.
The new acids are soluble in caustic alkalies and alkaline carbonates. On
adding salts of metals to the watery solutions of the alkaline salts, precipitates
are obtained. If solutions of albumens are mixed with the said solutions, pre-
cipitates are likewise obtained.
5
The new compounds are free from albuminous matters and glue.
The principal difference between these two acids is the following:-If a hot
per cent. watery solution of the sodium salt of the acid "A" is allowed to
cool, the solution is transformed into a gelatinous mass, whilst a hot 5-per-cent.
solution of the sodium salt of the acid B is not changed on cooling.
In order to illustrate the new process, the following examples are given:-
Production of the acid A.”
EXAMPLE A.
I kilo., by weight, of thymus glands is boiled in water which has been slightly
acidulated with acetic acid. Subsequently, the glands are carefully minced, and
stirred into 2 litres of boiling water, to which 100 cubic centimetres of a
33-per-cent. caustic soda-lye and 200 grammes of sodium acetate have been pre-
viously added. The most part of the glands is thus dissolved, a brown liquid
being produced. This solution is heated on a water bath for about half an hour,
small quantities of hot water being from time to time added, in order to replace

page_text: the water which distils off during the operation. The reaction mixture is then
neutralized by adding 150 cubic centimetres of a 50-per-cent. acetic acid and
filtered without cooling. The filtrate is evaporated so that the volume is reduced
to about one litre. Subsequently one litre of alcohol is added, at about 40°
Centigrade, and the sodium salt of the new acid "A" is precipitated and filtered
off in any suitable manner.
In order to purify the product thus obtained, it is dissolved in half a litre of
water. The resulting solution is heated on a water bath until a precipitate has
separated therefrom, which can easily be filtered. Subsequently, the liquid is
filtered, and from the filtrate the acid "A" is again precipitated by means of
alcohol, with the addition of a concentrated sodium acetate solution. The addi-
tion of sodium acetate is necessary, because a solution of the pure sodium sait of
the new acid yields no precipitate on the addition of alcohol.
The free acid "A" is produced by adding diluted hydrochloric acid to a watery
solution of the sodium salt. A yellowish resinous mass is thus obtained, which,
when filtered and covered with absolute alcohol, eventually becomes hard.
The acid "A" can also be obtained by pouring a watery solution of the pure
sodium salt into three times its bulk of a dilute alcoholic hydrochloric acid (con-
taining 2 cubic centimetres of concentrated hydrochloric acid in 100 cubic centi-
meters of alcohol). Thus, the acid "A" is produced in the shape of a consider-
able white mass, which slowly separates at the bottom of the vessel. This preci-
pitate becomes eventually hard, if it is allowed to stand in absolute alcohol.
Production of the acid "B."
EXAMPLE B.
1 kilo., by weight, of thymus-glands is first boiled with a very dilute acetic
acid, and then minced as described under Example A. Subsequently, the mass
is introduced into a boiling solution of 200 grammes of sodium acetate in 2 litres
of a 1.7 per cent. caustic soda lye. The resulting liquid is heated for about from
2 to 3 hours on a water-bath, in a vessel provided with a reflux condenser. Sub-
sequently it is neutralized by the addition of 150 cubic centimeters of a
50-per-cent. acetic acid, filtered, and evaporated until the volume is about 1 litre.
About one litre of alcohol is then added, in order to precipitate the sodium salt
of the new acid "B" contained in the solution. The precipitate thus produced
is isolated and purified as described in the foregoing example.
The free acid "B" is obtained from its sodium salt, as described in Example A.
My foreign correspondents have further found that a new acid which they
intend to term "nucleothyminic-acid" is obtained, if warm water is caused to
act on the above mentioned acid "B."
In order to illustrate the process for producing this acid, the following
Example C is given, the parts being by weight.
EXAMPLE C.
One part of freshly-prepared dry and pulverized acid "B" is quickly dissolved
in 20 parts of warm water, at about 60° centigrade, with energetic stirring. The
resulting solution is filtered, and, when cool, poured into 60 parts of acidulated
alcohol (which contains 15 cubic centimeters of concentrated hydrochloric acid
in each litre of alcohol). Thus, the new acid is precipitated, which, in order to
be purified, is filtered, washed with alcohol, redissolved in ten times the quantity
of cold water, and again precipitated from the resulting solution, in the manner
above described.
When dry, the new acid represents a slightly yellow-colored dusty powder, which
is easily soluble in water.
The same result is obtained if the herein before described acid "A" is treated
with warm water. But in this case the reaction does not proceed so quickly.
It may be remarked that my foreign correspondents do not at all intend to
confine themselves to the particulars given above, as the examples are merely

page_text: typical, and can be varied within wide limits, without altering thereby the
nature of the present invention. Thus, for instance, instead of the thymus
glands, any other suitable organs or humors of animal or vegetable organismis can
be employed. Instead of sodium acetate, other salts can be used in the
Examples A" and "B," or the processes described in the examples can also
be performed without the addition of organic salts.
1
"
+1 1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
The Manufacture or Production of New Chemical Compounds con-
taining Phosphorus, from Thymus Glands or other Animal or
Vegetable Products.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of The Office for Patents, 6, Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My foreign correspondents have found that certain new acids which contain
phosphorus, and belong to the group of the neucleinic acids, are obtained by
allowing solutions of alkalies to act at elevated temperatures on such organs or
humors of animal or vegetable organism as contain cells capable of development.
When effecting this reaction, my foreign correspondents have obtained two dif-
ferent substances, which they term A" and "B," the former being produced
after a comparatively short action of the caustic alkaline lye, whilst the latter is
the result of a prolonged treatment of the organic materials with alkalies.
"
Both acids " A" and "B are soluble with difficulty in water, but their alka-
line salts readily dissolve in warm water. On adding mineral acids to the watery
solutions of these salts, the free acids are separated, but the new acids do not
separate, when organic acids, such as acetic acid, are added to the solutions of
their alkaline salts.
On
The new acids are soluble in caustic alkalies and alkaline carbonates.
adding salts of metals to the watery solutions of the alkaline salts, precipitates
are obtained. If solutions of albumens are mixed with the said solutions, pre-
cipitates are likewise obtained.
The new compounds are free from albuminous matters and glue
The principal difference between these two acids is the following:-If a hot
5-per-cent. watery solution of the sodium salt of the acid "A" is allowed to
cool, the solution is transformed into a gelatinous mass, whilst a hot 5-per-cent.
B" is not changed on cooling.
solution of the sodium salt of the acid
66
In order to illustrate the new process, the following examples are given:---
Production of the acid A."
EXAMPLE A.
1 kilo. by weight of thymus glands is boiled in water which has been slightly
acidulated with acetic acid. Subsequently, the glands are carefully minced, and
stirred into 2 litres of boiling water, to which 100 cubic centimetres of a
33-per-cent. caustic soda-lye and 200 grammes of sodium acetate have been pre-
viously added. The greater part of the glands is thus dissolved, a brown liquid
being produced. This solution is heated on a water bath for about half an hour,
small quantities of hot water being from time to time added, in order to replace

page_text: the water which distils off during during the operation. The reaction mixture is then
neutralized by adding 150 cubic centimetres of a 50-per-cont. acetic acid and
filtered without cooling. The filtrate is evaporated so that the volume is reduced
to about one litre. Subsequently, one litre of alcohol is added at about 40°
Centigrade. By means of this operation, the sodium salt of the new acid "A" is
precipitated, which is then filtered off in any suitable manner.
In order to purify the product thus obtained, it is dissolved in half a litre of
water. The resulting solution is heated on a water bath until a precipitate has
separated therefrom, which can easily be filtered. Subsequently the liquid is
filtered, and from the filtrate the sodium salt of the acid "A" is again precipi-
tated by means of alcohol, with the addition of a concentrated sodium acetate
solution. The addition of sodium acetate is necessary, because a solution of the
pure sodium salt of the new acid yields no precipitate on the addition of alcohol.
The free acid "A" is produced by adding diluted hydrochloric acid to a watery
solution of the sodium salt. A yellowish resinous mass is thus obtained, which,
when filtered and caused to stand for a while covered with absolute alcohol,
becomes hard.
66
23
The acid A can also be obtained by pouring a watery solution of the pure
sodium salt into three times its bulk of a dilute alcoholic hydrochloric acid (con-
taining 2 cubic centimeters of concentrated hydrochloric acid to 100 cubic centi-
meters of alcohol). Thus, the acid "A" is produced in the shape of a volumin-
ous white mass, which slowly separates at the bottom of the vessel. The preci-
pitate becomes likewise hard if it is allowed to stand for a while in absolute
alcohol.
Production of the acid "B."
EXAMPLE B.
1 kilo., by weight of thymus glands is first boiled with a very dilute acetic
acid, and then minced as described under Example "A." Subsequently the mass
is introduced into a boiling solution of 200 grammes of sodium acetate in 2 litres
of a 1.7 per cent. caustic soda-lye. The resulting liquid is heated for about from
2 to 3 hours on a water-bath in a vessel provided with a reflux condenser. Sub-
sequently, it is neutralized by the addition of 150 cubic centimeters of a
50-per-cent. acetic acid, filtered, and evaporated, so that the volume is about 1 litre.
About one litre of alcohol is then added, in order to precipitate the sodium salt
of the new acid "B" contained in the solution. The precipitate thus produced
is isolated and purified as described in the foregoing example.
The free acid "B" is obtained from its
Example "A."
sodium salt as described in
My foreign correspondents have further found that a new acid which they
intend to term "nucleothyminic-acid" is obtained, if warm water is caused to
act on the above-mentioned acid "B."
In order to illustrate the process for producing this acid, the following
Example C is given, the parts being by weight.
EXAMPLE C.
One part of freshly-prepared dry and pulverized acid "B" is quickly dissolved
in 20 parts of warm water, at about 60° Centigrade, with energetic stirring. The
resulting solution is filtered, and, when cool, poured into 60 parts of acidulated
alcohol (which contains 15 cubic centimeters of concentrated hydrochloric acid
to one litre of alcohol). Thus, the new acid is precipitated, and in order to
be purified is filtered, washed with alcohol, redissolved in ten times the quantity
of cold water, and again precipitated from the resulting solution, in the manner
above described.
When dry, the new acid represents a slightly yellow-coloured dusty powder, which
is easily soluble in water.
A" is treated
with warm water. But in this case, the reaction does not proceed so quickly.
The same result is obtained if the hereinbefore described acid

page_text: If other nucleinic acids which exhibit the same or similar properties as the here-
inbefore-described acids "A" and "B" are used in the above Example C, the
'nucleothyminic acid " is likewise obtained.
It may be remarked that my foreign correspondents do not at all intend to
confine themselves to the particulars above given, as the examples are merely
typical, and can be varied within wide limits, without altering thereby the
nature of the present invention. Thus, for instance, instead of the thymus
glands, any other suitable organs or humors of animal or vegetable organisms con-
taining cells capable of development, can be employed. Instead of sodium acetate,
other salts can be used in the Examples A and B, or the processes described in
these examples can also be performed without the addition of organic salts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and what manner the same is to be performed (as communicated to me
from abroad), I declare that what I claim is :-
-
1. The process for producing alkaline salts of two new nucleinic acids termed
respectively "A" and "B," which process consists in heating with solutions of
caustic alkalies, with or without the addition of organic salts, such organs or
humors of animal or vegetable organisms as contain cells capable of development,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The transformation of the alkaline salts obtainable by the process claimed
in the foregoing Claim 1, into the free nucleinic acids "A" and "B" respectively,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The production of a new acid termed "nucleothyminic acid," by treating the
nucleinic acids hereinbefore defined with warm water, substantially as herein-
before described.
4. As new articles of manufacture, the new bodies herein before described.
ລ
£ Januar 1800