Improvements in the Preparation of Alkylated Uric Acids.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 13th Nov.,
1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Preparation of Alkylated Uric Acids.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of London
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by C. F. Boehringer & Soehne of Waldhof near
Mannheim in the Empire of Germany) to be as follows:-
When uric acid is alkylated in the presence of water, it is unnecessary to dissolve
it completely in alkalis, solid salts of uric acid may be employed with a quantity
of water insufficient to dissolve them.
If, for example, 5 parts (by weight) of the sparingly soluble acid potassium
urate be heated with 75 parts of water and 4 parts of methylic iodide for from 3
to 4 hours at 100° Centigrade the mixture being continuously agitated during the
operation, complete transformation takes place, and the product consists of alpha-
mono-methyluric acid, associated with a very small quantity of regenerated uric
acid.
The same monomethyluric acid is produced when 54 parts of acid magnesium
urate, 64 parts of methylic iodide, and 100 parts of water are continuously agitated
and heated for 3 hours at 100° Centigrade.
It is also possible to employ salts of feeble inorganic acids, such as carbonic,
boric and phosphoric acids, or of organic acids such as acetic acid, instead of those
of the alkalis, and in this case also, it is sufficient to suspend the sparingly soluble
uric acid in the liquid.
For instance, in order to prepare alpha-mono-methyluric acid, 15 parts of uric
acid are heated in a closed vessel with 19 parts of methylic iodide, 300 parts of
water and 92 parts of potassium carbonate for 4 hours at 100-110° Centigrade
the mixture being agitated meanwhile. The yield corresponds approximately
with that required by theory.
If under similar conditions, 26 parts of borax, or 17 parts of trisodium phosphate,
or 13 parts of potassium acetate, be used instead of potassium carbonate, the
reaction proceeds in a similar manner, but the yield is smaller, and monomethy-
luric acid is obtained associated with varying quantities of unchanged uric acid.
Application of insoluble carbonates yields the same result, 5 parts of uric acid,
23 parts of calcium carbonate, 100 parts of water, and 6'4 parts of methylic iodide,
when heated and vigourously agitated for 3 hours at 100° Centigrade yield
52 parts of a product which exhibits all the properties of alpha-monomethyluric
acid but which according to analysis still contains uric acid."
The preparation of alpha-dimethyluric acid is effected with equal readiness
when 36 parts of alpha monomethyluric acid, 43 parts of methylic iodide, 1000
parts of water, and 10 parts of potassium carbonate, are heated and continuously
agitated in a closed vessel for 3 hours at 90-100° Centigrade.
Dated this 9th day of January 100%
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C., Agents.

page_text: mprovements in the Ireparation of Kylated OIC ACIUS.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by C. F. Boehringer & Sochne, of Waldhof, near
Mannheim, in the Empire of Germany) and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
When uric acid 'is alkylated in the presence of water, it is unnecessary to
dissolve it completely in alkalis; solid salts of uric acid may be employed with
a quantity of water insufficient to dissolve them.
If for example, 5 parts (by weight) of the sparingly soluble acid potassium urate
be heated with 75 parts of water and 4 parts of methylic iodide for from 3 to 4 hours
at 100° centigrade the mixture being continually agitated during the operation,
complete transformation takes place, and the product consists of alpha-mono-
methyluric acid, associated with a very small quantity of regenerated uric acid.
The same monomethyluric acid is produced when 5'4 parts of acid magnesium
urate, 64 parts of methylic iodide, and 100 parts of water are continuously
agitated and heated for 3 hours at 100° centigrade.
It is also possible to employ salts of feeble inorganic acids, such as carbonic,
boric and phosphoric acids, or of organic acids such as acetic acid, instead of those
of the alkalis, and in this case also, it is sufficient to suspend the sparingly soluble
uric acid in the liquid.
For instance, in order to prepare alpha-mono-methyluric acid, 15 parts of uric
acid are heated in a closed vessel with 19 parts of methylic iodide, 300 parts of
water, and 92 parts of potassium carbonate for 4 hours at 100-110° centigrade
the mixture being agitated meanwhile. The yield corresponds approximately
with that required by theory.
If under similar conditions, 26 parts of borax, or 17 parts of trisodium phos-
phate, or 13 parts of potassium acetate, be used instead of potassium carbonate,
the reaction proceeds in a similar manner, but the yield is smaller, and mono-
methyluric acid is obtained associated with varying quantities of unchanged uric
acid.
Application of insoluble carbonates yields the same result. 5 parts of uric acid,
23 parts of calcium carbonate, 100 parts of water, and 64 parts of methylic iodide,
when heated and vigorously agitated for 3 hours at 100° centigrade yield 52 parts
of a product which exhibits all the properties of alpha-mono-methyluric acid, but
which according to analysis still contains uric acid.
The preparation of alpha-dimethyluric acid is effected with equal readiness
when 36 parts of alpha-monomethyluric acid, 43 parts of methylic iodide, 1000 parts
of water, and 10 parts of potassium carbonate, are heated and continuously
agitated in a closed vessel for 3 hours at 90-100° centigrade.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
⚫ -
The preparation of alkylated uric acids, by causing halogen alkyls to act upon
the salts of uric acid, or its alkyl derivatives, suspended in water, or upon uric

page_text: acid, or its alkyl derivatives, suspended in water in the presence of salts of feeble
inorganic or organic, acids.
Dated this 6th day of October 1897.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.