New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 355 



obtained. For analysis it was dried at 105° in vacuum over phos- 

 phorus pentoxide. 



Found: C = 8.08; H = 1.68; P = 15.64; Ba = 39.75 per ct. 

 This water-soluble substance apparently represents a mixture of 

 the barium salts of penta- and tetraphosphoric acid esters of inosite. 



CONCERNING THE DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS OF PHYTIC ACID 

 AFTER DRYING AT 105° UNDER REDUCED PRESSURE. 



The specimen of old phytic acid previously examined was used; 

 12.8 grams (corresponding to 10 grams dry acid) was dried at 105° 

 for about 48 hours over sulphuric acid under slightly reduced pres- 

 sure. It was then dissolved in about 200 c.c. of cold water. The 

 solution was practically black in color and contained particles of 

 carbonized material. It was decolorized by shaking with animal 

 charcoal. The clear, colorless solution was then precipitated with 

 barium hydroxide to slight alkaline reaction, the precipitate filtered 

 and washed in water and reserved for examination. The nitrate 

 and washings were freed from barium with carbon dioxide and 

 evaporated on the water bath to dryness. The residue was taken 

 up in a small amount of hot water and filtered. On adding a little 

 alcohol a heavy voluminous white amorphous precipitate was pro- 

 duced. This was removed from the solution by adding about 3 

 volumes of alcohol. The precipitate settled, leaving a clear super- 

 natant liquid; adding more alcohol produced no further precipitate. 

 It was then filtered and washed in alcohol and the filtrate reserved 



After drying, the above precipitate was obtained as a heavy, 

 white amorphous powder. It was free from inorganic phosphorus 

 but contained barium and after combustion the ash gave a heavy 

 yellow precipitate with ammonium molybdate. This substance was 

 purified as will be described later. 



The filtrate from the above precipitate was again evaporated on 

 the water bath nearly to dryness, taken up in hot water, filtered 

 and mixed with alcohol and ether. On scratching with a glass 

 rod a substance began to crystallize in needles. It was allowed to 

 stand in the ice chest over night. The crystals were then filtered, 

 washed in alcohol and ether and dried in the air. Yield 0.25 gram. 

 The substance was recrystallized four times in the same manner 

 and was finally obtained in colorless needles free from water of 

 crystallization. It gave the reaction of Scherer and melted at 222° 

 (uncorrected). It was, therefore, no doubt pure inosite. This was 

 further confirmed by the analysis: 



0.1215 gram subst. gave 0.0737 gram H 2 0"and 0.1780 gram C0 2 . 



Found: C = 39.95; H = 6.78 per ct. 



For C 6 H 12 6 = 180. 



Calculated: C = 40.00; H = 6.66 per ct. 



