302 Mr. E. Schunck. 



It is certain that this conversion of kreatine into kreatinin does 

 not take place when mercuric chloride is added to the watery extract 

 of flesh 



1. Because abundance of kreatine is obtained after this treatment, 



as in portion C. 



2. Because the kreatinin obtained from flesh differs in properties 



from the one obtained bj action of HgCl 2 upon pure kreatine, 

 the gold salt of the former kreatinin being soluble in ether, 

 and decomposed only during evaporation ; whilst the gold salt 

 of the latter is insoluble in ether, but is at once decomposed 

 thereby. 



" Contributions to the Chemistry of Chlorophyll. No. IV." By 

 EDWARD SCHUNCK, F.R.S. Received June 16, Read 

 June 18, 1891. 



Action of Alkalis on PhylJocyanin (continuation). In Parts I and III 

 of this memoir I gave an account of the action of aqueous alkalis 

 on phyllocyanin, and of the products thereby formed.* By the action 

 of caustic alkali in a state of fusion phyllocyanin undergoes a more 

 profound decomposition, leading to the formation of several products, 

 one of which I shall now describe. 



When caustic potash lye to which phyllocyanin has been added is 

 boiled down nearly to dryness a green mass is left which still contains 

 phyllocyanin, for on dissolving a little of it in water, adding an excess 

 of acetic acid, and shaking up with ether, a solution is obtained 

 which shows the spectrum of phyllocyanin. On heating the green 

 mass to near the point of fusion its colour suddenly changes to 

 brown, and the phyllocyanin is now completely altered. In order to 

 ensure complete decomposition water is added, and the solution is 

 then boiled down, and the residual mass again heated to near the 

 point of fusion. The mass is then dissolved in water, and to the 

 reddish-brown solution there is added an excess of acetic acid, which 

 gives a voluminous brown precipitate. The whole is now shaken up 

 with ether without any previous nitration. The ether dissolves a 

 portion of the precipitate, acquiring a red colour, and, having been 

 separated in the usual manner, is slowly evaporated. During evapo- 

 ration the solution deposits a dark-brown mass, which is filtered off 

 and treated with boiling alcohol. The latter acquires a red colour, 

 leaving behind a good deal of impurity, which is filtered off. On 

 adding zinc acetate to the filtrate a brown precipitate falls, while the 

 liquid acquires a bright purple colour. The latter after filtration is 



* ' Koy. Soc. Proc.,' vol. 39, p. 355, and vol. 44, pp. 448454. 



