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SULPHONAL

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Originally appearing in Volume V26, Page 60 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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SULPHONAL , or See also:

acetone diethyl sulphone (See also:CH3)2C(SO2C2H5)2, a valuable hypnotic prepared by condensing acetone with See also:ethyl mercaptan in the presence of hydrochloric See also:acid, the mercaptol (CH3)2C(SC2H5)2 formed being subsequently oxidized by See also:potassium permanganate (E. Baumann, Ber., 1886, 19, p. 2808). It is also formed by the See also:action of alcoholic potash and methyl iodide on ethylidene diethyl sulphine, CH3•CH(S02C2H5)2 (which is formed by the oxidation of dithioacetal with potassium permanganate). It crystallizes in prisms melting at 125' C., which are practically insoluble in See also:cold See also:water, but dissolve in 15 parts of hot and also in See also:alcohol and See also:ether. It is the sulphonalum of the B.P., and the sulphomethanum of the U.S.P. It produces lengthened See also:sleep in functional See also:nervous See also:insomnia, and is also useful in See also:insanity, being given with See also:mucilage of See also:acacia or in hot liquids, owing to its insolubility, or in large capsules. Its hypnotic See also:power is not equal to that of See also:chloral, but as it is not a depressant to the See also:heart or respiration it can be used when See also:morphine or chloral are contra-indicated. It is, however, very uncertain in its action, often failing to produce sleep when taken at bedtime, but producing drowsiness and sleep the following See also:day. The drowsiness the next day following a medicinal dose can be avoided by a saline laxative the See also:morning after its See also:administration. It is unwise to use it continuously for more than a few days at a See also:time, as it tends to produce the sulphonal See also:habit, which is attended by marked toxic effects, disturbances of digestion, giddiness, staggering gait and even See also:paralysis of the See also:lower extremities. These effects are accompanied by skin eruptions, and the urine becomes of a dark red See also:colour (haematoporphinuria).

Sulphonal is cumulative in its effects. Many fatal cases of sulphonal poisoning are on See also:

record, both from chronic poisoning and froma single large dose. Trional (CH3)(C2H5)C(SO2C2H5)2, and tetronal, (C2H5)2C(SO2C2H5)2, are alsp hypnotics. They are faster in action than sulphonal, and trional does not disorder the digestion.

End of Article: SULPHONAL

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