164 



The Biochemistry of Semen 



specific for human semen as distinct from animal semen, has been 

 corroborated by other ItaUan investigators, particularly by Baecchi 

 (1912). In the experience of Littlejohn and Pirie (1908), Barberio's 

 reaction is best carried out as follows; a small piece of the stained 

 fabric is placed upon a glass slide and macerated in a drop or two 



Table 22. Chemical properties of spermine and its derivatives 



Compound Formula 



Free base C10H26N4 



Phosphate CioH26N4-2H3P04-6H20 



Hydro- CioH2eN4-4HC] 



chloride 



Picrate CioH26N4-4C6H307Na 



Chloro- CioH26N4-4HCl-4AuCls 



aurate 

 Chloro- CioH26N4-2H2PtCl6 



platinate 

 Picrolonate 



Benzoyl CioHaeNi^COCeHs 

 derivative 



Tetra- CioH26N4-4CioH608N2S 



flavianate 



Properties 



Needle-shaped, colourless, odour- 

 less crystals; easily soluble in 

 water, ethanol and butanol, in- 

 soluble in ether, benzene and 

 ligroin, m.p. 55-60°, m.w. 202 



Lenticular crystals from water, 

 long needles from ethanol. Insol. 

 in cold water, sol. 1 : 100 in boil- 

 ing water, easily soluble in dilute 

 acid or alkali, m.p. 240°, m.w. 

 504. Identical with 'Boettcher's 

 crystals' and 'Charcot-Leyden 

 crystals' 



Short prismatic needles, extremely 

 soluble in water, insol. in 

 acetone, ether and chloroform, 

 m.p. 300-310° 



Yellow needles, become black at 

 242°, melt sharply with decom- 

 position at 248-250° 



Golden-yellow, lustrous leaflets, 

 m.p. 225° (Wrede 218°) 



Orange-yellow, well-formed cry- 

 stals, m.p. 242-245° 



Lemon-yellow crystals, m.p. 288- 

 289° 



Crystallizes from a solution in hot 

 acetone on addition of ligroin, in 

 woolly balls of fine needles, m.p. 

 155°, m.w. 618 



CrystalliLes if flavianic acid is used 

 in excess. On recrystallization 

 from water the diflavianate is 

 formed 



