248 



PIGMENTS 



salts of the type illustrated by the following structural formulae 

 of a few anthocyanidins : 



Cl Cl 



CH 







HOC 



C 



CH C 



OH 



COH 



\ X\ / 

 COH CH 



Cyanidin chloride 



HOC 

 CH 



CH 



w\ 



C C 



OH 



I II 



C COH 



\ x\ / 



COH CH 



Delphinidin chloride 



OH 



CH, 



CH 

 OEnidin chloride 



It will be seen from these formulae that the oxygen is 

 tetravalent and that the molecules contain phenolic hydroxyl 

 groups capable of forming salts with alkalies. Moreover, by 

 replacing the chlorine by the hydroxyl group on addition of 

 caustic alkalies the possibility of eliminating water from the 

 molecule arises as follows : 



OH 



OH 



CH 



O 



OH 



COH 



oc c c- 



CH C C 



OH 



OH 



/ 



COH CH 

 II. 



These considerations explain the colour variations produced 

 by the same cyanidin occurring in the same or in different 

 flowers, it having b'een found, for example, that the same 

 cyanidin was responsible for the colour of the cornflower and 

 of the rose.* 



Thus when combined, as in the case of cyanidin chloride, 

 with mineral acid or in the plant with organic acids, the com- 



Wijlstatter and Nolan : " Annalen," 1915, 408, i, 



