712 REPORT—1899. 
From the experience of the author, he is of opinion that the relative amounte- 
of dextrin, dextrose, and maltose present in any given acid conversion of starch 
depend on the conditions under which the conversion is made, as regards strength 
of acid, temperature, and pressure, and that it is not possible to predict the relative 
proportions of the three carbohydrates from the specific rotatory power as is stated: 
by Rolfe and Defren. 
5. The Action of Hydrogen Peroxide on Carbohydrates in the Presence: 
ot Ferrous Salts. By R.S. Morrert and J. M. Crorts. 
At the Bristol meeting of the British Association we communicated the results 
of the oxidation of glucose and levulose by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of 
ferrous sulphate. The glucose and levulose were oxidised to the same osone, which 
was identified by the formation of phenyl glucosazone at the ordinary temperature.. 
During the past year we have oxidised in the same way arabinose and galactose.’ 
The former sugar yields arabinosone, but galactose has, as yet, furnished no definite 
results. 
We now wish to state some of the results obtained from the oxidation of the 
_glucosone produced when levulose is treated with hydrogen peroxide. The method. 
adopted is to oxidise the glucosone by bromine-water after having first removed as 
much of the unattacked levulose as possible by fermentation. We obtained the 
calcium salt of a dibasic acid, which is very soluble in water, reduces Fehling’s 
solution easily, and the analyses point to the calcium sait of a dibasic acid ot 
formula C,H,O,. The free acid we have not as yet obtained crystalline. Levulose, 
by the action of oxidising agents, gives acids containing less than six carbon atoms, 
but from our results it would seem that the glucosone can be oxidised without 
destruction of the six-carbon chain. 
We have alco tried the action of bromine on a solution of glucosone obtained 
from glucose, after having removed as much of the unaltered glucose as possible, 
by fermentation with yeast. Unfortunately we have been unable to obtain a 
pure calcium salt—the analyses indicating the presence of some calcium gluconate. 
Besides the oxidation of the glucosone by bromine-water, we have oxidised 
some of the saccharoses by hydrogen peroxide, namely cane sugar, lactose, and 
maltose. In the case of cane sugar, the product is merely glucosone, and the yield 
of osazone is about 30 per cent. of the weight of cane sugar taken—two atoms of 
oxygen being used in the oxidation. This yield is nearly that obtained when 
glucose and levulose alone are oxidised. Lactose and maltose both yielded 
substances which react with phenyl hydrazine acetate in the cold; the yield of 
osazone, however, was small, and the substance sometimes oily. 
6. Influence of Substitution on Specific Rotation in the Bornylamine Series- 
By M. O. Forster, Ph.D., D.Sc. 
On replacing an atom of hydrogen belonging to a group attached to asymmetric 
carbon in an optically active substance, the numerical value of the rotatory power’ 
undergoes achange. Hitherto the hydroxylic and carboxylic groups have received 
most attention, but these radicles contain only one hydrogen atom, and the author 
has therefore studied the effect produced on the specific rotation of bornylamine- 
by replacing the hydrogen atoms of the amino-group. The following observations 
have been made :— 
1. The specific rotation of bornylamine is largely increased by replacement off 
a single hydrogen atom in the amino-group by an alkyl radicle, but the increase 
diminishes in ascending the series of monalkyl bases, of which methylbornylamine- 
has the greatest specific rotatory power. 
2. The specific rotation of bornylamine is only slightly increased on replacing: 
10. S. J. 1899, p. 786. 
