303 



of 1 I ma.uiu tism 1 ), by the surface of the seas and 



ocr.m> ). He proves, that the coincidence of tin- wavt-lrn^th. tor 

 which HL;! it-absorption is a maximum, and for which photochemical 

 action is an optimum*), also holds good, as Cot ton demonstrated 4 ), 

 in tlu case of the cupri-alkali-salts of d-, and l-tartaric acids, wlii< h 

 absorb right- and lefthanded circularly polarised light in a dif- 

 ferent way. From this Byk concludes that the velocity of photo- 

 chemical action must therefore be different, when such antipodes 

 are attacked by circularly polarised light of oppositely directed 

 rotation. And he proves that this must be true also for Feh ling's 



I solution, because the light -absorption of the ions in dilute solu- 

 tions must, as Oswald 5 ) also contends, be considered as inde- 

 pendent of the presence of other ions. From this it follows as a 

 logical consequence, that in the case of optical antipodes in an 

 externally compensated mixture, it is possible for the chemical 

 process to go on at different velocities, when these antipodes 

 are attacked by circularly polarised light of a definite direction 



I of rotation. The author tries to demonstrate that on earth really 

 all conditions have always been fulfilled for causing a constant excess 

 of circularly polarised light of a definite direction of rotation. The 

 possibility of the total asymmetric synthesis, according to B y k ' s 

 views, is therefore indirectly demonstrated, and its experimental 

 verification is only a matter of finding out the suitable materials 

 and experimental arrangements. This solution must therefore be 



I sought in the field of photochemistry. 

 13. It is not our intention to consider in detail the different 

 ways in which in the present author's opinion, the experimental 

 solution of the problem under consideration should be sought. 

 A single suggestion however may find its place here. 

 From the substituted malonic acids of the type: CXY (COOH), 

 the ether-salts of the composition: 



COOMe 

 I 

 YCX 



COOAlc 



1) H. Becquerel, Compt. rend, de 1'Acad. d. Sc. Paris, 108. 997. (1899). 

 '!) J. Jamin, Compt. rend, de 1'Acad. d. Sc. Paris, 81. 696. (1850). 

 3) J. M. Eder, Sitzb. Akad. d. Wiss. Wien, 90. 1097. (1885); 92. 1346. (1885); 

 94. 75. (1886). 



<) A. Cotton, Ann. de Chim. et Phys. (7). 8. 347. (1896). 

 6) W. Ostwald, Zeits. f. phys. Chemie. 9. 579. (1892). 



