19 



slowly evaporated; witliout smell or taste; fuses at 104°, decom- 

 poses in higher temperatures, not soluble in water and in alcohol, 

 readily in ether, less in acetic acid and volatile oils. 



Aspara«-ill = Cs Hs N2 Og + 2 HO. Widely diffused in 

 germs and young shoots, as yet specially in Liliacese, Boraginese, 

 Malvaceae (plants rich in mucilaginous sap), Graminete and Legu- 

 niinosse, also occurring in beet-roots, potato-spi-igs and hop-shoots. 

 The best material for its preparation is the juice or the aqueous 

 extract of the respective vegetable substances, but as A. can not 

 be obtained by precipitation and as its quantity is generally incon- 

 siderable, the liquid has to be concentrated and kept in the cold 

 for several days. The Asparagin separates in small crystals 

 which have to be purified by recrystallisation. It forms colour- 

 less, hard, recto-rhombic prisms without odour and of insipid 

 cooling taste, soluble in 40 parts cold and four parts boiling 

 water, also in weak alcohol, not in absolute alcohol and ether, 

 loses the water of crystallisation at 100° and fuses in higher tem- 

 peratures, while swelling considerably and emitting ammonia and 

 a faint horny odour. 



Aspartic Acid = Cg He ISTOr + HO. Lermer observed the 

 occurrence of asparagin in the decoction of the germs of barley- 

 malt, when evaporated to syrup consistence; but when the above 

 syrup had been kept for some time, no asparagin could be ob- 

 served, but in its stead aspartic acid combined with magnesia. 

 Since the asparagin {zzCg Hg N2 Oe ) behaves like the amide of 

 aspartic acid, and when boiled by itself in aqueous solution, but 

 more readily under co-operation of acids or bases, is converted into 

 aspartate of ammonia (Cg Hg N2 Oe -|- 2 H0=]SrH4 0-(-Cg Hg 

 NO7 ) from which the ammonia is instantly expelled by stronger 

 bases; it is easily explained how the asparagin disappears by-and- 

 bye in the syi-up of malt and an aspartate takes its place. Though 

 it follows herefrom that originally no aspartic acid but only aspa- 

 ragin was contained in the malt, I thought it advisable not to 

 pass by the above acid, as it might occur in phytochemical ana- 

 lyses, no matter if pi'e-existing or originated in the course of the 

 analytic process.* 



The aspartic acid would have to be looked for in the precipitates 

 occasioned by neutral or basic acetates of lead. After decomposing 

 the acid precipitates by sulphuret of hydrogen and concentrating 

 the liquid, it would separate, as it is little soluble in water. It 

 forms a white, shining crystalline powder without smell and 

 of acidulous afterwards broth-like taste, becomes decomposed by 

 heat, while evolving ammonia and a horny odour, and swelling 

 considerably; dissolves in 128 parts cold, readily in hot water, still 



* According to Scheibler, the asparagin of beet-roots reappears as aspartic acid in the 

 molasses obtained in the manufacture of beet-root sugar. — F. v. M. 



c 2 



