CHEMISTRY. 525 



Pheuylalaniii (phenyl-a'-amidopropionic acid) is converted into paranitro- 

 pheuylalanin by tlie action of sulphuric and nitric acids, and this product 

 is transformed into paraamidophenylalanin by means of tin and hydro- 

 chloric acid. The chloride of this diamido compound is treated in 

 alcoholic solution with nitrous acid and the resulting body heated with 

 water. On evaporating and treating the residue with ether a sirupy 

 liquid is obtained which is probably parahydroxyphenyllactic acid. 

 This product is supersaturated with ammonia and concentrated by 

 evaporation, which gives a crystalline mass showing under the micro- 

 scope the crystalline characters of tyrosine. By recrystallizing from 

 dilute boiling alcohol the material is purified. Analysis shows it to 

 have the exact constitution of tyrosine : 



C9H11 NO3 or CsH4 J cH2CH.NH2.COOH 



{Berichte d. chem. Oes., xv, pp. 1006 and 1544.) 



Synthesis of Anthracene and Phenanthrene from Orthobrombenzyl- 

 bromide. — C. Loring Jackson and J. Fleming White, with a view to set- 

 tling the exact constitution of anthracene, have studied the action of 

 sodium on orthobrombenzyl-bromide, and obtained anthracene and phen- 

 anthrene. The former was identified by its melting point (2120),by the 

 formation of anthraquinone (melting at 273^), and of alizarine ; the latter 

 was identified by the melting ijoint of its quinone, 198°, and by Lauben- 

 heimer's test. Dibenzyl also forms in this reaction, and an oil of uncer- 

 tain composition, po:^sibl3' benzyltoluol. 



By this synthesis it is proved that the two connecting carbon atoms 

 in the benzol rings are attached to each ring in the ortho-position, and 

 the last doubt about the constitution of anthracene is removed. {Chem. 

 j^ews, XL VI, p. 44.) 



Synthesis of Organic Bodies by the Electrolysis of Water and Solu- 

 tions with Electrodes of Carbon. — A. Bartoli and G. Papasogli, in re- 

 searches on galvanic polarities, had observed that coke, charcoal, or 

 graphite, under the action of the current, is disaggregated ; the elec- 

 trolyte is blackened more or less, according to its nature and that of the 

 carbon, and the gas evolved at the positive pole is below the normal 

 volume. The authors undertook the present investigation to ascertain 

 what becomes of the oxygen. They experimented with graphite, coke, 

 and wood charcoal, purified by chlorine at high temperatures. With 

 coke or charcoal as positive electrode and distilled water as electrolyte 

 and a battery of 1,200 Daniell cells, they remarked after two days a 

 brown color in the electrolyte and an acid reaction. The battery was 

 then reduced to 100 Bunsen cells, and ten days later to 20 Bunsen cells j 

 these were in operation for 30 days. The water became black; the elec- 

 trode, which weighed about 500 grams, was totally disaggregated, and 

 a thick muddy deposit was formed. The electrolyte was found to contain 



