148 THE CHEMISTRY OF DORYPHORA SASSAFRAS, 



finally extracted with chloroform. This solution on evaporation 

 to dryness left the alkaloid in an amorphous form, and of a 

 yellowish-grey colour. 



Attempts were made to obtain the alkaloid in the crystallised 

 condition, but none of these were successful. Saturated solutions 

 of the alkaloid, in water, methyl, ethyl, and amyl alcohols, ether, 

 acetone, chloroform, and benzene, were allowed to evaporate 

 spontaneously; amorphous residues were in all cases obtained. 

 Salts of the alkaloid were next formed by neutralisation with 

 sulphuric, nitric, picric and picrolonic acids; on spontaneous 

 evaporation, not one of these was obtained in a crystallised form. 



Properties of the Alkaloid. — The amorphous powder is highly 

 electric; when brushing it out from one vessel to another, it 

 either strongly adheres, or Hies off and scatters. 



The melting point lies between 115^ and 117°C. It possesses 

 a slightly bitter taste, and the reaction is faintly alkaline to 

 litmus. It dissolves readily in alcohol, chloroform, and dilute 

 acids; is very slightly soluble in ether, and water; and insoluble 

 in petroleum spirit. The solutions are yellow to brown. 



Concentrated sulphuric acid placed on a speck of the alkaloid 

 on a white slab produces a pinkish-brown colour. No other 

 colour reactions were observed. The alkaloid is precipitated from 

 its salt solutions by ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, 

 carbonate, and bicarbonate, picric acid and picrolonic acid, iodine, 

 potassium mercuric iodide, tannic, phosphotungstic, and phospho- 

 molybdic acids. 



Titration of the Alkaloid. — Of the amorphous powder, 0'9614 

 gm. dissolved in hot water, required 28 cc. of ^^ sulphuric acid, 

 = 0'1372gm., to neutralise it to litmus. 



0-1372 acid : 096 14 alkaloid :: 49 : 343. 

 The equivalent weight of alkaloid is thus shown to be 343. 



AMay of Hark for Alkaloid.— {a) lOgms. of powdered bark 

 were exti'acted in a soxhlet with alcohol. From the extract the 

 solvent was distilled, the i-esiduc dissohcd in dilute hvdrochloric 

 acid, water added, and filtered. From the filtrate the alkaloid 



