ACETONE. 775 



are without action in this regard. This is true at least for the acids from 

 n-decanoic acid to ?i-butyric acid, which latter is a strong acetone former. 

 As in diabetics a greater number of oxybutyric acid molecules can be 

 eliminated than corresponds to the number of fatty acid molecules decom- 

 posed, it seems as if more than one molecule of /2-oxybutyric acid is pro- 

 duced from one molecule of fatty acid. We cannot therefore admit 

 of a simple demolition of the fatty acids to butyric acid (by consecutive 

 oxidation attacks in the /^-position) but rather a destruction of the fatty 

 acid molecules into several parts, and which take part in the formation of 

 /?-oxybutyric acid. A synthetical formation of /?-oxybutyric acid has 

 been accomplished by GEELMUYDEN and others, but especially by MAG- 

 NUS-LEVY, starting with acetaldehyde, according to the hypothesis of 

 SPIRO. It is also interesting that FRIEDMANN 1 has shown by perfusion 

 experiments with livers that aldehyde ammonia, and to a greater extent 

 aldol, are acetone formers. It must therefore be admitted that first a 

 condensation of the aldehyde to aldol takes place, CH 3 .COH + CH 3 .COH 

 = CH 3 .CH(OH).CH 2 .COH, and that ^-oxybutyric acid, CH 3 .CH(OH). 

 CH 2 .COOH, is formed from this by oxidation. 



According to the above-mentioned perfusion experiments it must 

 be admitted that the liver is important in the formation of acetone 

 bodies, and EMBDEN and LATTES have found that the ability of the liver 

 of the dog with pancreas diabetes or phloridzin diabetes to "produce 

 acetone is much greater than the liver of the normal animal. On the 

 other hand, as shown by EMBDEN and MiCHAUD, 2 in dogs and oxen the 

 liver also has a strong destructive action upon acetoacetic acid. A 

 similar action is also found in the kidneys, muscles and spleen of dogs 

 and pigs. The destructive action of fresh organs is much stronger upon 

 acetoacetic acid than upon acetone. 



Acetone, C 3 H 6 O, dimethylketone, CH 3 .CO.CH 3 , is a thin, water- 

 clear liquid, boiling at 56.3 and possessing a pleasant odor of fruit, 

 which in diabetes gives a pomaceous or fruit odor to the urine as well as 

 the expired air. It is lighter than water, with which it mixes in all 

 proportions, also with alcohol and ether. The most important reactions 

 for acetone are the following: 



LIEBEN'S lodoform Test. When a watery solution of acetone is treated 

 with alkali and then with some iodo-potassium -iodide solution and gently 

 warmed, a yellow precipitate of iodoform is produced, which is known 

 by its odor and by the appearance of the crystals (six-sided plates or stars) 

 under the microscope. This reaction is very delicate, but it is not char- 

 acteristic of acetone. GUNNING'S modification of the iodoform test con- 



1 Geelmuyden, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 23 and 26; Magnus-Levy, Arch. f. exp. 

 Path. u. Pharm., 42; Friedmann, Hofmeister's Beitrage, 11. 



2 Embden and Lattes, Hofmeister's Beitrage, 11; Emhden and Michaud, ibid., 11. 



