H 



THE ALUMNI JOURNAL, 



THE MOST RECENT WORK. 



Compounds of Antipyrin with Phenols. — 

 Pateiu and Dufau have previously reported that 

 artipyrin combined with one molecule of either 

 of the naphtols forming crystalline compounds 

 without the elimination of water. They have 

 now investigated the possibility of similar com- 

 pounds with dihydric phenols of the benzene 

 series being formed. The phenols used in the 

 experiments were pryocatechol, resorcinol and 

 hydroquinol (ortho meta and para dihydroxy- 

 benzene). Pyrocatechin combines in the pro- 

 portion of one molecule of phenol with two of 

 antipyrin, when both bodies are dissolved in 

 water, with the formation of a crystalline com- 

 pound slightly soluble in cold, easily in hot 

 water, alcohol and chloroform, but with diffi- 

 culty in ether. It melts at 78°-79°, and gives a 

 greenish black color with ferric chloride. 

 Guaiacol, the monomethyl ether of pyroca- 

 techol, combines with one molecule of the base, 

 and veratrol, the dimethyl ether does not com- 

 bine at all, thus showing that the hydroxy 

 group of the phenol is the determining factor. 

 Resorcinol and antipyrin combine in the pro- 

 portion of one molecule of each. The body is 

 crystalline, melts at 103°- 104°, and gives a 

 blood-red color with ferric chloride. One 

 molecule of hydroquinol combines with two 

 molecules of antipyrin forming a crystalline 

 body melting at I27°-I28°. It is very soluble 

 in ether, and also in chloroform, in which latter 

 solvent it is dissociated. It gives a puce color 

 with ferric chloride. — Journal de Phar. et Chivi. 



Glucine, — A new product analagous to sac- 

 charin has just been introduced. Whilst glu- 

 cine is the trivial name applied to it, the consti- 

 tution is that of a complicated sulpho acid, ob- 

 tained by the action of fatty aldehydes on the 

 dyestuflf chrysoidin and afterwards sulphorat- 

 ing. Glucine does not interfere with the di- 

 gestive functions nor any other organs of the 

 body. It is far less sweet than saccharin, one 

 part being equivalent to 100 of ordinary cane 

 sugar. 



The taste differs from that of saccharin. In 

 this respect it resembles sugar rather than 

 saccharin. — Phar in. Post. 



New Sources of Alcohol. — The possibility of 

 obtaining pure ethylic alcohol from Asphodelus 

 ramosus and Scilla maritima by fermentation 

 has occupied the attention of G. Riviere and M. 

 Bailhache, who have experimented with pure 

 cultivated wine yeasts. They have previously 

 shown that, by the aid of such yeasts, it is pos- 



sible to obtain alcohol of good flavor without 

 rectification, from beetroot juice or malted 

 grain. The alcohol obtained from the asphodel 

 and squill is described as being of equally good 

 quality, and the investigators think its manu- 

 facture from those sources may constitute a 

 profitable industry, especially in Algiers and 

 Tunis, where both plants grow wild and in 

 abundance. — Comp. retid., cxxi., 659. 



Oil from Rubber Tree Seeds. — The seeds of 

 the rubber tree yield a large quantity of oil, 

 which compares favorably with linseed oil. At 

 present this oil has been extracted in small 

 quantities only; but with more systematic regu- 

 lation of the rubber industry, it is probable that 

 the rubber tree seed will be included among 

 the more valuable economic products. If it 

 proves that such oil, similar to linseed oil, can 

 be obtained in paying quantities from these 

 seeds, it is probable, says Popular Science, that 

 from this will be produced the ideal rubber sub- 

 stitute. The nearest approaches to a substitute 

 for india rubber have been made from linseed 

 and kindred oils, and, perhaps, the oil of the 

 rubber seeds may be exactly what has been 

 looked for. 



New Aconine Derivatives. — Whilst endeav- 

 oring, without success, to synthesise aconitine 

 and benzaconine from benzaconine and aconine 

 respectively, W. R. Dunstan and F. H. Carr 

 have obtained two new derivatives of the last- 

 named compound. Dibenzaconine, C24 Hj. 

 (Bz)2NOio, crystallizes from ether in rosettes 

 of needles (m. p. 265°) ; but is insoluble in 

 water. Its hydrobromide and aurichloride 

 have been prepared. Tetracetyl — aconine, Co^ 

 H35( Ac)4NOjo, is also insoluble in water, but 

 readily soluble in ether and in alcohol. It 

 crystallizes in small prisms (m. p. 196°) from 

 either of these solvents. — Proc. Chem. Soc, 155, 

 1 78. 



Toxicity of Acetylene. — In view of the prob- 

 able increasing use of acetylene as an illuminat- 

 ing agent, the experiments of N. Grehaut pos- 

 sess considerable interest. The gas used in this 

 investigation was prepared from calcium car- 

 bide supplied by M. Moisson, and the subjects 

 of these experiments were dogs and rabbits. 

 As a result, it is stated that toxic effects are 

 producd when acetylene is present in air to the 

 extent of 40 to 70 per cent. The gas is, there- 

 fore, much less poisonous than ordinary illumi- 

 nating gas. The risk of explosion, when mixed 

 with air, is very great in either case. — Comp. 

 rend., cxxi., 564. 



