CIIEMISTKY. 451 



change heretofore haviu,i>: been deceptive, on account of impuritie.s in 

 the atropine examined. (Bericlite, xxi, 3005.) 



Coloring matter from Drosera Whittaleri. — From the tubers of this 

 South Australian phmtRennie has isohited a magnificent red coloring- 

 matter which dyes silk brilliantly. It crystnllizes easily from solution 

 in hot alcohol or glacial acetic acid, and has tlie formula CuTInOs. From 

 experiments ui)on the oxidation and reduction of the compound, Ren- 

 uie infers that it may be a trihj^droxy-methylnaphthaquinone. (Jour. 

 Chem. Soc, Li, 371.). 



The supposed identity of rutin and quercitrin. — These two tinctorial 

 substances appi'oximate to each other so nearly in properties and com- 

 position, that the question of their identity or distinctness has not 

 hitherto been settled. P>y the action of strong acids both are deciom- 

 posed into quercetin and isodulcite, they dye similar colors, and have 

 many properties in common. Schunck now points out a number of 

 differences in physical characteristics and reactions, and by careful 

 analyses shows that whereas quercitrin contains two molecules of iso- 

 dulcite to one of quercetin, rutin has three of isodulcite to one of 

 quercetin. The differences and similarities are thus easily explained. 

 (Jour. Chem. Soc, Liii, 202.) 



The fluorides of the paraffin radides. — Several of these compounds 

 have been prepared and described by Moissan, i)artly in co-operation 

 with Melsans. They are produced by acting on silver fluoride with the 

 paraffin iodides, and up to isobutyl fluoride they are gaseous at ordi- 

 nary temperatures. Methyl fluoride is a colorless gas of extreme sta- 

 bility, which is saponifiable only with difliculty. It can be liquefied iu 

 Cailletet's apparatus. The ethyl compound liquefies at— 48, under 

 normal pressure, and isobutyl fluoride becomes liquid at -f 10°. The 

 gases are combustible, and burn with a blue dame. (Compt. Keud., cvii, 

 260, 992, 1155.) 



The action of fluoride of silicon npon orffaiiic bases. — l>y acting u])on 

 aniline, orthotoluidine, paratoluidine, tliphenylamine, dimethylaniline, 

 and chiuoline with silicon fluoride, Comey and Jackson have prepared 

 II series of compounds which they designate silicotetralluorides. In 

 these compounds the nitrogen appears to be qnin([uivalent, one of its 

 bonds being satisfied by fluorine and another by silicon. (Am. Chem. 

 Jour., x, 105.) 



Other organic fluorine compounds, sul)stitution derivatives of the 

 aromatic series, are described by Wallach and Ileusler. . Among them 

 are difluobenzene, parafluoanilin, fluonitrobenzene,parafluophenol, lluo- 

 l)seudo(;umene, fluodiplienyl, etc;. (Ann. d. Chem., ("(^XLill, 219.) 



Organo-metallic compounds. — The question as to the valency of bismuth 

 is settled by the researches of Michaelis and Polls on bisuiuth triphenyl. 

 This compound unites directly with two atoms of chlorine or bromine, 

 to form halogen salts in which the metal is definitely pentavalent. (Be- 

 richte, xx, 54.) 



