204 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LII. No. 1339 



The reaction is not general for tlie aromatic 

 hydrocarbons, but is specific for those of the 

 henzene series. Hydrocarbons with more than 

 one benzene ring, like diphenyl and triphenyl 

 methane, benzidine, naphthalene and anthra- 

 cene aU proved to be inert. Heterocyclic com- 

 pounds also gave negative results. 



We mentioned already that the increase in 

 the number of methyl groups in the benzene 

 ring results in a corresponding decrease of 

 the catalytic activity of the compound. The 

 introduction into the ring of a carboxyl group, 

 an NHNHj group or of phenol groups renders 

 the hydrocarbon incapable of decomposing hy- 

 drogen peroxide. On the other hand, the 

 presence of nitro, amino and aldehyde groups, 

 or of a halogen atom does not prevent the 



compound from breaking up of hydrogen 

 pieroxide, though its iwwer is much less than 

 that of the unsubstituted hydrocarbon. Ani- 

 line, nitrobenzene, benzaldehyde and chlor- 

 benzene decompose hydrogen peroxide, but 

 dichlorbenzene, benzylchloride or benzoylchlo- 

 ride, were found inactive. Adrenalin, both 

 the base and the hydrochloride, decompose 

 hydrogen peroxide though very feebly. 



A more detailed discussion of the catalase- 

 like reaction of benzene and its homologues is 

 reserved for the near future. Suffice it to say 

 that we have satisfied ourselves that this de- 

 composition is not caused by changes in sur- 

 face tension. Sergius Morgulis, 

 Victor E. Levine 



Ckeightdn Medical College 



