Improvements in the Manufacture of Methyl- and Ethyl-phenacetine.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1890¹
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Methyl- and Ethyl-phenacetine.
I, BENJAMIN WILLCOX of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Farbenfabriken vormals Friedrich
Bayer & Co. of Elberfeld in the Empire of Germany) to be as follows:-
In the Specification accompanying my application for Letters Patent dated
15th April 1890 No. 5723 two new products are described namely methyl- and
ethyl-phenacetine which as regards their physiological action differ essentially
from phenacetine and owe their formation to the action of a methyl- or ethyl-
haloid
upon a sodium combination of phenacetine.
My foreign correspondents have now discovered that these substances can be
more advantageously produced by introducing an acetyl group into the methyl- or
ethyl-phenetidine, the formation of oily bye products being thereby almost entirely
obviated.
In order to obtain ethyl-phenacetine the process may be conducted as follows
for example.
Ethyl-phenetidine is mixed at ordinary or usual temperature with acetic acid
anhydride in equal molecular proportions whereupon the temperature of the mixture
rises to about 100 degrees Centigrade. Directly the temperature falls the action
of the acetic acid anhydride ceases.
The acetic acid resulting from the reaction and the excess of acetic acid
anhydride are removed in the form of acetic-ether by adding alcohol and distilling,
the residue being distilled in vacuum. The distillate forms a clear liquid which
after standing for a considerable time solidifies and consists of pure cthyl-
phenacetine.
Methyl-phenacetine can be obtained in like manner from methyl-phenetidine.
The acetic acid anhydride may be replaced with like results by acetyl-chloride
or less advantageously by acetic acid.
The methyl- and ethyl-phenacetine possess the same properties as those possessed
by the products described in the Specification No. 5723 of 1890.
Dated this 8th day of November 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Methyl- and Ethyl-phenacetine.
I BENJAMIN WILLCOX of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been
communicated to me from abroad by the Farbenfabriken vormals Friedrich
Bayer & Co. of Elberfeld 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 :-
;-
In the Specification of Letters Patent No. 5723 dated 15th April 1890 methyl-
and ethyl-phenacetine are described as new products the physiological action of
which is essentially different from that of phenacetine the said products being
obtained by the action of a methyl- or ethyl-haloid upon the sodium compound of
phenacetine (para-aceto-phenctidine).
My foreign correspondents have discovered that these substances can be much
D1

page_text: more advantageously produced by introducing an acetyl group into methyl- or
ethyl-phenetidine, as the formation of oily bye-products is thereby almost entirely
obviated.
As applied to the manufacture of ethyl-phenacetine for example the process may
be carried out in the following manner.
Ethyl-phenctidine is mixed at the ordinary or usual temperature with acetic
anhydride in equi molecular proportions whereupon the temperature of the mixture
rises to about 100 degrees Centigrade the temperature falling again when the
action of the anhydride is finished.
The acetic acid formed in the reaction and any excess of acetic anhydride are
removed in the form of acetic ether by adding alcohol and distilling. When the
residue is distilled in vacuum a clear liquid condenses in the receiver which after
standing for a considerable time solidifies. It consists of pure ethyl-phenacetine.
Methyl-phenacetine can be obtained in like manner from methyl-plenetidine.
The acetic anhydride may be replaced with like results by acetyl-chloride or
(less advantageously) by acetic acid.
The methyl and ethyl-phenacetine obtained according to this invention possess
the same properties as those which are described in the Specification of Letters
Patent No. 5723 of 1890.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The process for producing methyl-phenacetine or ethyl phenacetine by
introducing an acetyl group into methyl-phenetidine or ethyl-phenetidine.
2nd. As articles of manufacture the inethyl-phenacetine and ethyl-phenacetine
produced in the manner hereinbefore described and claimed.
This book dow of T....1001
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.