278 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



a deep vermilion colored solution, from which a precipitate was obtained 

 with an excess of benzol. A benzol solution of the diuitrotoluol save 

 with sodic malonic ester a crimson red solution and a colored precipitate, 

 but both this and the precipitate of the methylate compound decomposed 

 while drying on the porous plate. 



Symmetrical dinitroxylol melting at 93° ((0113)2 1. 3, (N02)2 4- 6.) gave 

 with sodic methylate after a few seconds a faint greenish color, which 

 turned rapidly to a deep purple, and finally became brownish black. It 

 was evidently therefore very unstable. Neither sodic malonic ester nor 

 sodic acetacetic ester gave any trace of color, 



Trinitroxylol ((CHo)^ 1.3. (N02)3 2. 4. 6.) gave a deep cherry red solu- 

 tion with either sodic methylate or a benzol solution of sodic malonic 

 ester or of sodic acetacetic ester. An excess of benzol precipitated from 

 each of these solutions a gummy reddish body which decomposed before 

 it could be prepared for analysis. In these cases the decomposition- 

 product had a pinkish white color. 



Neither dinitromesitylene nor trinitromesitylene gave a trace of color 

 after standing with sodic methylate. At the m'oment the trinitromesity- 

 lene was mixed with the sodic methylate we thought in one or two cases 

 we perceived a very faint coloration, but it was so indistinct that we felt 

 doubtful of its existence, and at best it was very evanescent. Sodic ma- 

 lonic ester and sodic acetacetic ester also gave negative results with both 

 these bodies. 



Dinitrophloroglucine triethylether, C6H(OC2H5)3(N04)2, gave no 

 color with sodic methylate, sodic malonic ester, or sodic acetacetic ester. 



Attempts to obtain Colored Compounds from Bodies which contain no 



Nitro Group. 



Pyrocatechin gave no color with sodic malonic ester, but with sodic 

 methylate a bright green color was formed along the edges, which soon 

 darkened, and finally gave a black oil. This coloration is probably sim- 

 ilar to those observed by Kunz Krause * on treating various phenols with 

 sodium and alcohol, but we do not feel sure that these colors are related 

 to those obtained from nitro compounds. 



Resorcine gave no color with either sodic methylate, sodic malonic 

 ester, or sodic acetacetic ester. The same negative results were obtained 

 with phloroglucine. 



Neither trimesic acid ((C00H)3 1. 3. 5.) nor its ester C6H3(COOC2H5)3 



* Arch. Pharm., CCXXXVI. 542. 



