TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION B, 607 



SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14. 

 The Section did not meet. 



MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16. 



The following Papers and Reports were read : — 



1 . Ou the Three Stereomeric Cinnamic Acids. 

 By Professor A. Michael. 



2. On the Genesis of Matter. By Professor A. Michael. 



3. On the Process of Suhstitrition. By Professor A. Michael. 



4. On the Synthetical Formation of Bridged-rings. 

 By Professor W. H. Peekix, F.K.S. 



5. I'he Condensation of Benzil loith Dibenzyl Ketone. 

 By G. G. Henderson, D.Sc, and R. H. Coestorphine, B.Sc. 



Benzil condenses readily with dihenzyl ketone in presence of aqueous caustic 

 potash, and tetraphenylcyclopentenolone is produced according to the equation 



Ph. CO Ph. OH,,. Ph.C = C.Ph 



I + "\CO = H„0+ I \C0 



Ph. CO Ph.CH,/ " Ph.C(OH).OHPh/ 



The new compound crystallises iu colourless lustrous needles, m.p. 208°. It is 

 readily soluble in benzene, but only sparingly in alcohol. It yields an o.iime which 

 crystallises in small colourless prisms, m.p. 167°, and when heated in alcoholic 

 solution with parabromphenylhydrazine it gives a crystalline hydrazone, m.p. 169°. 

 The acetyl dei'ivatire was obtained in prisms of a dark purple colour, from which 

 the colouring matter could not be removed by recrystallisation : it melts at 218°. 

 Tetraphenylcyclopentenolone readily decolorises permanganate, yet it does not 

 combine additively with bromine, as might be expected from its constitution, but 

 is slowly converted into an unstable bromine derivative, which was not obtained in 

 a state of purity. It also reacts with phosphorus pentachjoride and with alcoholic 

 hydrogen chloride, but the product, which contained chlorine, was too unstable to 

 admit of purification. When cautiously oxidised with chromic anhydride dis- 

 solved in glacial acetic acid it gives benzoic acid and a neutral compound of the 

 formula C.,„H,„0^, which occurs in colourless crystals, m.p. 164°. When boiled under 

 a reflux condenser with hydriodic acid and red phosphorus, tetraphenylcyclopente- 



Ph.C=CPh V 

 nolone is partially reduced and tetraphenylcyclopentenol \ / CIIOH 



Ph.CH. CHPh-^ 

 is obtained. This substance crystallises in shining colourless needles, m.p. 162°. 

 It is readily soluble in benzene, but very sparingly in alcohol, and it reduces 

 permanganate. It does not react either with hydroxylamine or with phenylhydra- 

 zine, but it yields an acetyl derivative, which crystallises in colourless tablets, 

 m.p. 182°. It does not form an addition product with bromine, but is converted 

 into a bromine derivative, Cj^Hj.^Br . OH, which crystallises in colourless needles, 



