1913] Ernest D. Clark 4^3 



masses was kept under a layer of ether. This material had the 

 appearance of a multitude of minute cylindrical particles which were 

 colorless and transparent. Upon exposure to the air these particles 

 soon became brovvn, probably f rom oxidation. 



General properties of the tannin masses before hydrolysis. 

 In both the Millon and xanthoproteic tests the tannin masses 

 gradually assumed a dark brown color ; a change apparently similar 

 to that resulting from slow oxidation by the air. With Fehling or 

 Fehling-Benedict Solution the masses turned black at once, but no 

 reduction was observed. Tests for pentoses with conc. hydro- 

 chloric acid Solution and phloroglucinol caused the particles to be- 

 come bright red, but this acid ahne caused the same change. lodin 

 in potassium iodid Solution produced no coloration. Repeated 

 fusions with metallic sodium failed to indicate the presence of 

 nitrogen. This Observation was confirmed by subjecting 2 gm. of 

 the material to the Kjeldähl process for nitrogen, with negative 

 results. 



The presence of phloroglucinol in the masses was shown by 

 adding to them a little vanillin in hydrochloric acid Solution when 

 the particles were stained a beautiful magenta shade, a result similar 

 to that obtained when pure phloroglucinol and vanillin react in the 

 presence of traces of hydrochloric acid. Various other phenolic 

 substances, however, form brightly colored condensation products 

 with vanillin under such conditions.^ 



All tests for pentose by boiling with hydrochloric acid Solution 

 and allowing the vapors to act on anilin acetate paper, and also by 

 boiling the particles with conc. hydrochloric acid Solution plus orcin, 

 were negative. No pentose is present, apparently, in spite of the 

 red color given by the phloroglucinol-hydrochloric acid test, a result 

 that may have been caused by the interaction of these substances 

 with a phenolic substance (like vanillin) rather than by pentoses. 

 With the Molisch reagent a very strong positive result was obtained 

 and, furthermore, we found that exactly the same purplish ring was 

 formed by the tannin masses with pure sulfuric acid alone. 



'Hartwick and Winckel (Archiv d. Pharm., 1904, ccxlii, p. 471), showed the 

 presence of phloroglucinol in the tannin masses of Ceratonia siliqua and Phoenix 

 dactylifera. Tichomirow (Bull. Soc. Imp. d. Nat. Sei., Moskau, 1905) obtained 

 the same reactions in the tannin masses of the persimmon, indicating the presence 

 of a phenol. 



