KEPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 87 



EXAMINATION OP THE ALKALOID IN TIIK SEEDS OF SOniOKA SERECIA. 



Altliongli abuudaiit cbcmical cvi<leiico was obtained duriiig the 

 progress of tlie analysis that both herb and seeds contained a consider- 

 able amount of a very bitter alkaloid, still its isolation in a pure form 

 was a matter of considerable diiSculty. In the seeds it is associated 

 with malic acid and a yellowish-brown substance of active reducing 

 properties. From this latter substance it seemed almost impossible to 

 separate it, but by adopting? several expedients it was finally isolated 

 in what seems to be a tolerably pure condition. The methods are given 

 exactly as they were applied. Several operations might be dispensed 

 with in the future, and a much simpler scheme devised, as the outgrowth 

 of the experience gained. 



SErARATION OF THS ALKALOID. 



Two hundred and sixty-eight grams of the finely-powdered seeds were 

 percolated with Squibb's ether until apparently exhausted. This 

 ethereal extract contained, when evaporated, the fixed oil, with a little 

 coloring matter. The seeds were then dried and extracted with 94 per 

 cent, alcohol, to which had been added 5 per cent, of acetic acid. When 

 the percolate no longer had a bitter taste the treatment with alcohol 

 was discontinued. The alcohol was evaporated, the residue treated 

 with water and liltered, and the acid filtrate was precipitated by normal 

 acetate of lead. A small amount of a flocculent, flesh-colored precipi- 

 tate formed, which proved upon investigation to be malate of lead, as- 

 sociated with a little coloring matter. The filtrate from this lead precipi- 

 tate was treated with sulphuretted hydrogen, filtered, the filtrate con- 

 centrated on the steam-bath, with addition toward the end of a faint 

 excess of ammonia. "When well concentrated and nearly free from 

 ammonium acetate the liquid was acidified with sulphuric acid and pre- 

 cipitated by excess of potassic mercuric iodide (" Mayer's solution"). 

 An abundant, bulky, amori)hous, yellowish- white precipitate was 

 formed. This precipitate was washed on a filter with cold water until 

 the washings became somewhat turbid from dissolved precipitate. It 

 was then suspended in water and treated with sulphuretted hydrogen, 

 filtered from black mercuric sulphide, and the very acid filtrate concen- 

 trated to expel all free sulphuretted hydrogen. This liquid was then 

 precipitated by a solution of iodine in potassic iodide. When insufficient 

 iodine was added for complete precipitation of the alkaloid, the jprecipi- 

 tate had a brick-red color, but with excess of iodine the precipitate was 

 very nearly black, much resembling free iodine in color. This precipi- 

 tate was washed with cold water and treated, in presence of water, with 

 moist silver oxide. After slight concentration on the water-bath, the 

 liquid was filtered from the silver iodide and excess of silver oxide. 

 The filtrate was deep wine-red by transmitted light, and by reflected 

 light had a beautiful and strongly-marked yellowish-green fluorescence, 

 which was less evident upon acidulating the liquid with sulphuric or 

 iiydrochloric acid. 



The solution of the alkaloid was intensely bitter j had a distinctly alka- 

 line reaction, and gave with reagents the following reactions : 



1. Hydrates of potash, soda, and ammonia caused no precipitates. 



2. Potassic mercuric iodide (" Mayer's solution") causM a bulky, floe 

 culent, yellowish-white precipitate, which dissolved readily in alcohol 

 and less freely in ether. 



3. Phosphomolybdic acid (" Sonneschein's reagent ") caused a light- 



