1537 
Preparation 1. 
0,1992 grm of substance gave 0,1502 grm Hes : 65,0°/, Hg 
OSI 35s 5 EOS PS EL vss 
Preparation II. 
0,2885 erm of substance gave 0,2227 erm Hes : 66,5°/, He 
OFOtGT 4545 3 st OS4 000) ee NRO Geass es 
Ordinary mercuric glutaconate ought to contain 62.05 °/, He. 
With the ester reaction (strong sulphuric acid + alcohol) it could 
be shown that no acetyl groups were present in the molecule. 
A portion of the substance was dissolved in dilute aqueous sodium 
there- 
fore, probably 
identical 
The two prepara- 
are, 
tions 
hydroxide and the solution saturated with hydrogen sulphide. After 
addition of a small excess of bydrochloric acid, the precipitated mer- 
eurie sulphide was filtered off and the solution (after passing a 
current of air for some time) concentrated in vacuum. Traces of 
glutaconie acid were removed by extraction with ether and 
the aqueous solution was then evaporated to complete dryness. The 
residual mass was extracted with warm absolute alcohol. After 
evaporation of this alcohol a brawn syrup was left behind which, 
by the following reactions was identified as @-oxyglutarie acid: 
a. a portion of the syrup was heated with a solution of copper 
acetate and the precipitated Cu-salt, after collecting and washing, 
decomposed with H,S. After evaporating the filtrate, | obtained small 
white needles m.p. 95°. 
6. The remainder of the syrup was converted according to the 
directions of von PecuMann and Jeniscu ©), into the diphenylhydrazide 
by means of phenylhydrazine. From glacial acetic acid I obtained 
this substance in the form of small white erystal-bundles, which on 
being heated rapidly melt at 286°—237°, but decompose when heated 
slowly. 
I did not think it of any importance to make a complete analysis 
of the complex mercuric salt; hence, no definite formula can 
be given. As, however, the substance contains exclusively complex- 
combined mercury and as a free COOH-group cannot be assumed 
because the substance dissolves in dilute potassium chloride solution 
with a neutral reaction, the following formula is about the only 
possible one: 
OC—CH—CH(OH)—CH—CO 
al lw al 
O—Heg He—O 
When crystallising with 3 mols. of H,O (which is also the water 
1) Ber. 24. 3250 (1891). They give the melting point as 234—235°, 
