450 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



The yield is small. The diethoxydiphenoxyquinone crystallizes 

 in long silky orange-yellow slender needles arranged in radiating 

 groups. It melts at 128°, and is readily soluble in alcohol or chloro- 

 form ; soluble in carbonic disulphide or benzol ; sparingly soluble in 

 ether or glacial acetic acid ; insoluble in ligroine or water. The 

 best solvent for it is alcohol. 



Action of Sodic Methylate on Tetraphenoxyquinone. {Dimethoxy- 

 diphenoxyquiaone, C^^{OCH^.^{OC^^2^2') 



When 5 grams of tetraphenoxyquinone were treated with a solution 

 of six equivalents of sodic methylate in methyl alcohol, it dissolved to 

 a colorless liquid, which on standing deposited a quantity of nearly 

 white needles. These were filtered off, and after washing with a little 

 methyl alcohol treated with water rendered alkaline by sodic hydrate, 

 when a portion of the substance was dissolved, and a yellow crystal- 

 line body was left as an insoluble residue. This latter substance was 

 purified by crystallization from a mixture of benzol and alcohol until 

 it showed the constant melting point 171°, when it was dried at 100°, 

 and analyzed with the following result : — 



0.2043 gram of the substance gave on combustion 0.5068 gram of 

 carbonic dioxide and 0.08 G2 gram of water. 



The substance is therefore dimethoxydiphenoxyquiuoiie formed by 

 the replacement of two of the phenjl by methyl radicals. 



Properties of Dimethoxydiphenoxyqulnone. — It crystallizes from a 

 mixture of alcohol and benzol in beautiful long golden-yellow needles, 

 which under the microscope are seen to be slender prisms arranged in 

 radiating groups. The terminations of these prisms consist of one 

 principal plane, sometimes at a right angle, sometimes at an oblique 

 angle to the sides ; in this latter case, when the crystals are large 

 enough, small modifying planes are also seen. It melts at 171°, and 

 is readily soluble in chloroform ; soluble in ethyl or methyl alcohol, 

 benzol, or glacial acetic acid ; sparingly soluble in ether or carbonic 

 disulphide ; insoluble in ligroine or water. It is reduced by zinc and 

 glacial acetic acid to a colorless hydroquinone. 



It dissolves apparently with decomposition in a dilute solution of 

 sodic hydrate, and from this solution dilute sulphuric acid precipitates 



