344 Report of the Department of Chemistry of the 



CONCERNING THE COMPOSITION OF BARIUM PHYTATE 

 AND PHYTIC ACID FROM COMMERCIAL PHYTIN AND 

 A STUDY OF THE PROPERTIES OF PHYTIC ACID AND 

 ITS DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS. 



In previous reports from this laboratory it has been shown that 

 the organic phosphoric acids existing in cottonseed meal, 1 oats 2 

 and corn 3 yield identical crystalline barium salts which differ in 

 composition from the corresponding, so-called, barium phytates. 

 The free organic phosphoric acids, isolated from these crystalline 

 barium salts, although identical so far as analyses are concerned, 

 differ in composition from phytic acid. These crystalline salts 

 had all been carefully purified by repeated recrystallizations and 

 it appears, therefore, reasonable to believe that they were purer 

 than any previously described barium phytate. In so far as one 

 may judge by crystal form, composition and reactions the above 

 compounds are identical and are salts of an acid of the formula, 

 C 2 H 6 8 P2 or C 6 Hi 8 2 4P6. If the latter be the correct formula, which 

 appears probable, then it differs from the phytic acid formula of 

 Neuberg, 4 C 6 H 2 40 2 7P6, by three molecules of water, which is also 

 the difference between phytic acid and inosite hexaphosphate. 



Previously we have reported 5 numerous salts of phytic acid 

 prepared from commercial phytin. These salts, however, were 

 mostly amorphous and particularly the barium salts, with one 

 exception, were not obtained in crystalline form. These amorphous 

 compounds gave results on analyses which corresponded closely 

 with percentages calculated on the basis of the usual formula for 

 phytic acid, viz: C 6 H 24 27 P6. In dealing with amorphous sub- 

 stances, however, some doubt may be felt as to their being homo- 

 geneous products. 



Since the crystalline salts mentioned above differ in composition 

 from compounds calculated on the usual formula for phytic acid 

 we are forced to the conclusion, either that the organic phosphoric 

 acid existing in cottonseed meal, oats and corn is different and dis- 

 tinct from phytic acid or else that the formula of phytic acid itself 

 is wrong, having possibly been based upon analytical data of some- 

 what impure preparations. 



It seemed of importance to determine whether any real difference 

 exists between the barium salts of phytic acid prepared from com- 

 mercial phytin and the crystalline salts obtained from cottonseed 



iJourn. Biol. Chem. 13:311, 1912, and N.Y. Agr. Exp. Sta., Tech. Bull. 25, 1912, 

 and also preceding article. 



2 See preceding article. 



3 See preceding article. 

 *Biochem. Zeitschr. 9:551, 557, 1908. 



B Jour. Biol. Chem. 11:471, 1912, and 12:97, 1912, and N.Y. Agr.Exp. Sta., Tech. 

 Bull. 19 and 21, 1912. 



