708 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



crystalline pi'oduct, but only very slightly from that isolated from wheat bran 

 (E. S. R., 28, p. 17). Like the crystalline bai'ium salt obtained from cotton- 

 seed meal, that from oat seed does not agree with the usually accepted formula 

 for phytic acid, viz, C6Hi4027P6 (see also E. S. R., 19, p. 966). Apparently oats 

 contain two different phosphoric acids. 



III. Concerning phytin in corn (pp. 22-26). — This subject has been previously 

 studied by Vorbrodt (E. S. II., 26, p. 501) and Hart and Tottingham (E. S. R., 

 21, p. 608). The substance isolated in these investigations was re-examined by 

 the author and a crystalline barium salt was prepared with some diflBculty. 

 Judging from the crystalline structure, composition, and properties, the sub- 

 stance is identical with the salts previously isolated from cotton-seed meal and 

 oats, namely, salts of inoslt hexaphosphate. 



" The analytical results obtained from these ]3urified crystalline barium salts 

 do not agree with the formula proposed by Vorbrodt. The phosphorus is over 

 1 per cent higher and the relation between carbon and phosphorus is as 1 : 1. 

 The phosphorus content is also considerably higher than that required for a 

 corresponding salt calculated on the usual phytic acid formula. The barium 

 salt analyzed by Vorbrodt had been prepared from the previously isolated acid 

 by partially neutralizing with barium hydroxid and concentrating in vacuum. 

 The crystalline salt which then separated was washed, dried, and analyzed. 

 Apparently no attempt had been made to recrystallize it and it is probable that 

 the substance had contained small quantities of impurities which might be suffi- 

 cient to account for the difference in analytical results between his product and 

 the repeatedly recrystallized salts which have now been analyzed." 



IV. Concerning the composition of hariiun phytate and phytic acid from 

 commercial phytin and a study of the properties of phytic acid and its decompo- 

 sition products (pp. 27-44). — The salts of phytin, previously reported upon 

 (E. S. R., 27, p. 712) were prepared from commercial phytin, and most of these 

 were amorphous, particularly the barium salts, and in only one case was a 

 crystalline salt obtained. The amorphous salts on analysis gave results which 

 corresponded closely to the usual formula ascribed to phytic acid. As some 

 doubt was felt as to whether these amorphous compounds were homogeneous an 

 investigation was made of commercial phytin, using the same methods as before, 

 to see if any real difference existed betwjeen the barium salts of phytic acid 

 prepared from conmiercial phytm and the crystalline salts obtained from cot- 

 ton-seed meal, oats, and com. 



"After carefully purifjung the barium salt of the substance we found that it 

 crystallized very readily and no difference could be observed either in crystal 

 form, composition, or reactions of the salts prepared in this way from the crys- 

 talline salts previously referred to. All of these compounds are therefore 

 identical and the analytical data Indicate that they are salts of the acid 

 C::H60sP2 or C0H1SO24P0. The composition, as determined by analysis, of the free 

 acid prepared from the crystalline barium phytate also agrees more closely with 

 the above formulas than with the usual formula of phytic acid. C«H2i027Po. The 

 phosphorus was found too low in this case as well as in the acids prcAiously 

 described. This, however, is undoubtedly due to the fact that the acid is largely 

 hydrolyzed on drying. It appears very probable then that the organic phos- 

 phoric acid described above and known as phytic acid is either inosit hexaphos- 

 phate, CeHisO-iPe, or else an isomer of the same. We have, however, no direct 

 information concerning the molecular magnitude of the acid." 



Attempts to prepare a neutral ester of the acid with a view of determining 

 the molecular weight and also the preparation of a neutral silver salt failed. 

 "Only acid silver salts have been obtained even from solutions of phytic acid 

 neutralized with ammonia. From such salts, naturally, only acid esters could 



