Kew Yokk AgkicultuPuAl Experime.yt Station. 175 



Calculated for phytic acid, C6H24O27P6 = 714. 

 C = 10.08; H = 3.36; P = 26.05 per ct. 



This preparation gave the same reactions as those previously 

 mentioned. When carefully prepared the acid is a thick colorless 

 syrup readily soluble in water and alcohol. Attempts were made to 

 prepare crystalline salts of the acid with organic bases like pyridine 

 and brucine, but without success. These salts could not be obtained 

 in crystalline form. In every case they separated as thick liquids, 

 which could not be brought to crystallize even after long standing. 



The reactions of the aqueous solution of the acid with inorganic 

 bases may be briefly stated as follows: 



It is not precipitated by chlorides of the alkaline earths, but 

 acetates and hydroxides produce white amorphous precipitates. 

 Ammonium molybdate gives a heavy white crystalline precipitate. 

 Silver nitrate in excess produces a heavy white amorphous precipitate. 

 Magnesia mixture also gives a voluminous white amorphous pre- 

 cipitate. While barium chloride does not give any precipitate, if 

 the solution is allowed to stand at room temperature over night 

 or longer the barium salt crystallizes out in delicate needle-shaped 

 crystals. In shape and arrangement these crystals are identical with 

 those previously referred to but they are much larger. It immedi- 

 ately coagulates egg albumen. 



A neutral solution of the acid does not reduce Fehling's solution: 

 even after boiling with dilute hydrochloric acid for some time no 

 reduction takes place. No appreciable color reaction is given with 

 phloroglucine or orcine. 



Ferric chloride gives a white precipitate very sparingly soluble in 

 hydrochloric acid. Copper acetate in excess gives a bluish-white 

 precipitate. 



On drying at 78° or 100° the substance turns very dark in color, 

 but on drying at 60° the color changes but slightly. All the barium 

 salts obtained were strongly acid in reaction on moist litmus paper. 



It is evident that the substance isolated from cottonseed meal is 

 very similar to phytin. The various salts which have been analyzed 

 show but little difference in composition as compared with the 

 corresponding phytin derivatives. It may be noted, however, that 

 the analytical results of the purified, so-called, tri-barium salts point 

 to the empirical formula C2 H4 P2 0$ Ba. Such a compound might 

 be a monobasic acid of the formula CH3 PO4, but it is also isomeric 

 with inosite hexaphosphate and accordingly differs very little in 

 composition from phytic acid. 



Whether the organic phosphoric acid in cottonseed meal is identical 

 with phytin, an isomer, or is a somewhat differently constituted 

 substance, can hardly be determined from the data presented in 

 this paper. The investigation will be continued. 



