4 ' THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



Under the influence of dehydrating agents, tropic acid loses water 

 and forms, according to the agent used, : 



a) Boiling with Ba (0H)2 at ISO^C: 



/^.zlR^j /CH2 



^6^6^^!^! CgHgC 



\C00H \COOH 



. Atropic acid. 



b) Heating alone to 160" C: 



/CHgiOHj /CH 



CgHg— CH :•■•: CgHg— CH >0 



\coo|hI \co 



Tropid. 



c) Heating with HCl at 140^ gave C^gHjgO^ Isatropic acid, 



a polymeric form of Tropic acid. 



The synthesis of tropic acid, first carried out by Ladenburg and 

 Riigenheimer, confirmed the correctness of the formula. 



The synthesis is carried out as follows: 



/CH 



CgHjCOCHg CgHgC-CL^CHg CgHgC-OCgHg 



\CN 

 Acetophenon. Chloraceto- Nitril of Atrolactic 



phenon. Acid Ethyl Ether. 



Saponified /CH3 HCL /CHg 



CeH,-C-OC,H, CgH^C 



\COOH \COOH 



Atrolactic Acid Ethyl Ether. Atropic Acid. 



(To be Continued.') 



OBITUARY 



We mourn the loss of one of our life members, James Miller, class 1876, 

 who died at his home, 631 53rd Street, Brooklyn, N. Y., on December 27th, 

 1909. Peace to his ashes. 



