§ 155. PEUCEDANIN, OREOSELON, ETC. 145 



with metallic salts, nor does it yield angelic acid or allied sub- 

 stances when acted upon by alkalies. 



Peuceclanin^ is allied to, but not identical with, ostruthiin. It 

 yields no valerianic or angelic acid, but is decomposed by the 

 action of acids into oreoselon and methyl-compounds ; it is, in 

 fact, dimethyl-oreoselon. Peucedanin melts at 76°, is colourless, 

 crystalline, insoluble in cold water, but freely soluble in alcohol 

 and ether. 



Oreoselon can be obtained from peucedanin ; it is almost insoluble 

 in cold water, but soluble in alcohol, ether and benzene. Bisul- 

 phide of carbon, ammonia and dilute alkalies dissolve it only when 

 warmed, and the latter solution reduces alkaline copper-salts. 

 The alcoholic solution is not altered by ferric chloride. A blue 

 fluorescent solution is yielded by cone, sulphuric acid, but not by 

 alkalies. Fused with an alkali, it yields acetic acid and resorcin 

 (§ 42). 



Athamanthin." — The statement that this substance is divaleryl- 

 oreoselon requires further investigation. It crystallizes in colour- 

 less needles melting at 79°, is insoluble in water, but dissolves in 

 ■diluted alcohol and in ether. 



Laserpitin^ forms colourless prisms, melting at 114°, and is 

 sparingly soluble in water and alkalies, but freely in alcohol, ether, 

 ■chloroform, benzene, and bisulphide of carbon. Cone, sulphuric 

 and fuming nitric acid dissolve it with red colouration ; boiling 

 with alcoholic potash is said to decompose it into angelic acid and 

 laserol. 



C'libehin can also be obtained in colourless crystals, melting at 

 120°, difficultly soluble in cold, more easily in warm water, and 

 •soluble in 26 parts of ether, 76 of cold and 10 of boiling alcohol. 

 It can be removed from aqueous solution by shaking with benzene 

 •or chloroform. Cone, sulphuric acid is coloured red by cubebin. 

 Aqueous alkalies do not dissolve it.* (Cf. § 55.) 



Betulin is likewise tolerably freely soluble in ether and boiling 



^ Compare Hlasiwetz und Weidel, Annal d. Chem. und Pharm, clxxiv. 67 ; 

 Heut, ibid. clxxvi. 70 (Journ. Chem. Soc. xxviii. 258, 772). 



- Compare Schnedermann und Winkler, Annal. d. Chem. und Pharm, li. 

 ■315, 1844 ; Hlasiwetz und Weidel, ibid, clxxiv. 67. 



^ Compare Feldmann, 'Ueber das Laserpitin.' Diss. Göttingen. 



* For an analysis of cubebin compare Schmidt, Jahresb. f. Pharm. 51, 1870 

 (Pharm. Journ. and Trans. [3], ii. 270). For cubebin see Weidel, Jahresb. f. 

 Pharm. 68, 1877 (Amer. Journ. Pharm. 1. 257). 



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