( 337 ) 



Dr. Mol allowed ethyloxalj ieliloride to act with the usual pre- 

 cautions on the potassium salt of acid ethjioxalate covered with 

 ether and obtained a colourless liquid which distilled at 85° — 90'' 

 uuder a pressure of less than 'i millimetre, solidified on cooling and 

 then melted at 4°. The results of the elementary analysis and of the 

 determination of the molecular weight agree with what is required 

 by the desired anhydride 



O 



C — c 



I I 



\J^ I ^^ 



'■i.'-'-h 



etliy loxa lanhydride . 



as does the decomposition by water. On being heated at the ordinary 

 pressure it is decomposed with evolution of gas. 



Dr. MoL obtained this substance in a still simpler manner by 

 acting with oxychloride of phosphorus on an excess of potassium ethyl 

 oxalate. The investigation is being continued with other dibasic acids. 



Chemistry. — " ThaUctrum aq uileg if oliuin, a lujdrogen cyanide- 

 yielding plant.'' By Dr. L. van ItxVllie. (Communicated by 

 Prof. P. VAN Romburgh). 



The communications from Guignard (Compt. reiid. de I'Acad. des 

 Sciences du 24 Juillet 1905) as to the presence of a hydrogen cyanide- 

 yielding glucoside in the leaves of Sambucus nigra L. and other 

 varieties of elder have induced me to continue the experiments 

 previously made in the same direction. I have been able to confirm 

 the observations of Guignard in every particular notwithstanding the 

 figures which I found for the HCN-content are lower than those 

 stated by him. This may, probably, be ex[)lained by the fact that I 

 did not test the elder leaves until the beginning of September whilst 

 Guignard made his experiments in June. 



From :100 grams of fresh leaves of Sambucus nigra I obtained 

 8,3 milligrs. and from J 00 grams of Sambucus nigra var. laciniata 

 7,7 milligrs. of HCN. No HON \vas oI)tained from 100 grams of 

 Sambucus Ebulus. 



The ornamental plant Thalictrum aquilegifolium (which appears to 



23 



Proceedings Royal Acad. Amsterdam. Vol. VIII. 



