312 



40% more slowly than the corresponding dextrogyratory ether. 

 Herzog and Meier found this inequality of reaction- velocity 

 also, when the oxidizing ferments of many fungi and moulds 

 acted upon d-, or t-tartaric acids. According to Rosenthaler 1 ), 

 emulsine produces an excess of dextrogyratory nitrite, if HCN be 

 added to benzaldehyde. If the higher molecular symmetry, and 

 therefore the optical inactivity of matter be considered a "more 

 probable state" than the non-superposable enantiomorphism of 

 the optically active molecules, - - a view strongly upheld by the 

 striking tendency for autoracemisation of optically active matter, 

 - then the materials and substances of the living world would 

 certainly have a lower degree of stability than those produced 

 outside the living organisms. In the light of the views mentioned 

 here, the significance of this becomes more evident, because the 

 matter more rapidly produced, will also be more quickly attacked 

 in the physiological processes of the organism, and these substan- 

 ces will, therefore, be more particularly suited for its never ceasing 

 needs. The presence of accelerating catalysts like enzymes and 

 ferments, is absolutely necessary in these assimilation-processes, 

 and the question may arise, if it will likewise be possible to imitate 

 the special mode of action of these catalysts by processes such 

 as met with in one-sided synthesis? 



In point of fact, the experiments just referred to, have proved 

 this to be the case beyond all doubt. 



Bredig and Fajans were able to show that the use of 

 laevogyratory nicotine as a solvent with catalytic action in the 

 decomposition of d- and t-campho-carboxytic acids, had the effect 

 that the dextrogyratory acid was more rapidly decomposed into 

 camphor and carbon-dioxide than the laevogyratory antipode. On 

 the other hand, the decomposition-velocity of both isomerides 

 appeared to be almost identical in optically inactive solvents, such 

 as aniline or acetophenone. 



The following data may make this clear: 



Dextrogyratory campho-carboxylic acid. 



Solvent: Velocity-constant k: 



Aniline 0,00676 



Acetophenone 0,00128 



l-Nicotine 0,00488 



Laevogyratory campho-carboxylic acid. 



Solvent: Velocity-constant k: 



Aniline 0,00663 



Acetophenone 0,00123 



l-Nicotine 0,00434 



!) L. Rosenthaler, Archiv. d. Pharmac., 249, 510, (1911); Bioch., Zeits. 14, 

 247, (1908); 19, 186, (1909). 



