GLYCOCINE

Syn. Glycoll . Sugar of gelatin . (C 2 H 5 NO 2 ). This is one of the products of the decomposition of gelatin when boiled with dilute sulphuric acid; after the acid is removed by means of barium carbonate, the glycocine may be procured in crystals by evaporating the solution. It may also be obtained by heating gelatin with a solution of potash or of soda. It is, however, most easily separated in a state of purity by boiling hippuric acid for half an hour with hydrochloric acid; as the liquid cools benzoic acid is separated in abundance, and glycocine remains in combination with hydrochloric acid; on the addition of absolute alcohol, after the solution has been concentrated by evaporation and super-saturated with ammonia, pure glycocine is deposited in minute crystals. Pure glycocine has a sweet taste, inferior to that of cane sugar. It is soluble in about 400 parts of cold water, le soluble in rectified spirit, and insoluble in absolute alcohol and in ether. It is not susceptible of the alcoholic fermentation.