c 



352 Transactions. — Chemistry and Physics. 



from it, and identified by its melting-point. This species con- 

 tains an acid which was not detected in the other two ; when 

 the aqueous extract of the plant was repeatedly shaken up 

 with ether the latter extractions contained the acid in a com- 

 paratively pure condition. It crystallised from chloroform in 

 silky yellowish needles, which were finally sublimed at 125 r 

 under diminished pressure. It was thus obtained in colour- 

 less iridescent plates, very readily soluble in water, alcohol, 

 or ether. The acid has a characteristic smell, gives a tran- 

 sient violet colour with ferric chloride, and melts at 130° 

 (uncorr.). On analysis — 



0-1214 gave 0-2537 C0 2 and 0-0545 HX>. C = 56-99; 

 H = 4-99. 



C B H 8 4 requires C = 57-10 ; H = 4-76 per cent. 



Forty-two compounds of the empirical formula C 8 H 8 4 are 

 already known. The acid from G. angustissima does not ap- 

 pear to be identical with any of these. 



CORIAMYRTIN. 



The physiological action of the New Zealand species of 

 Coriaria and of the European species (C. myrtifolia) is so 

 similar that a direct comparison of tutin with coriamyrtin, the 

 glucoside isolated by Riban,* seemed desirable. A gram of 

 coriamyrtin was obtained from Merck, of Darmstadt ; the 

 specimen melted at 225° (uncorr. ),f and the melting-point was 

 not altered by recrystallisation from alcohol. Like tutin, \ 

 the compound is somewhat volatile, sublimation commencing 

 at about 150°. Analysis of the compound before and after 

 crystallisation gave numbers agreeing closely with those ob- 

 tained by Kiban : — 



01389 gave 0-3288 C0 2 and 0-0822 H 2 0. C = 64-56 ; 

 H = 6-57. 



0-1263 gave 02976 C0 2 and 00734 H,0. C = 64-25; 

 H = 6-45. 



Eiban found (mean of three analyses) C = 64-07 ; H = 6-57. 

 C 30 H 36 O 10 (Riban) requires C = 64-75 ; H = 6-47 per cent. 

 CailLjgO, requires C = 6461 ; H = 6-66 per cent. 



If the latter formula were correct, coriamyrtin would differ 

 from tutin by C 4 H 6 only, and its higher melting-point, lower 

 volatility, and solubility suggest strongly that it is a higher 

 member of the series to which tutin belongs. Molecular 



* Bull. Soc. Chim., 1864 [ii.] , 1, 87 ; 1867 [ii.] , 7, 79. 



t Riban gives 220° ; Merck (Cbem. Centr., 1899, i., 706) gives 229°. 



{ M. Kiban bas recently 6hown his continued interest in the subject by 

 supplyii g us with a small quantity of the original sample of coriamyrtin, 

 and providing us with copies of his valuable memoirB. 



