Marcu 8, 1912] 
In the presence of alcohol it gives the ester ether 
Ce 
ee \CHLOC.H,| 
The first of these is, of course, the analog of the 
compound described by Mr. Taveau and the latter 
is the bishydrazone of camphononic acid, 
CO,H 
CHEK i oEisCOnH. 
Ny nY 
Howarp W. Doucuty: Ortho- and Para-Toluenese- 
lenonic and Tolueneseleninic Acids. 
NicHoLtas Kyicut: The Preparation of Certain 
Oxylactones. 
When phenyleyan pyroracemic acid ethyl ester is 
heated with sulphurie acid, the ester is hydro- 
lyzed and water and carbon dioxide pass out of 
two molecules of the acid. The resulting product 
is an oxylactone of the formula C,,H,,0;, which 
melts at 171°. 
When a mixture of phenyl pyro racemic acid is 
allowed to stand some days with fuming hydro- 
chlorie acid the liquid becomes filled with fine 
needles which on crystallizing from alcohol is 
shown to be an oxylactone of the formula C,,H,.Os. 
The melting point is 206°. A number of salts 
were made from this oxylactone. 
J. U. Ner: The Three Lactones d-Mannonic Acid 
and their Bearing on the Constitution of the 
Sugars and the Glucosides. 
TREAT B. JOHNSON: The Action of Halogens on 
Tyrosinehydantoin. 
Methods have been developed for preparing 
easily 3.5-diiodo-, 3.5-dibromo- and 3.5-dichloro- 
tyrosines. Bromine and iodine react smoothly 
with tyrosine, HOC,H,CH.CH(NH.)COOH, form- 
ing 3.5-dibromo- and 3.5-diiodotyrosines, respect- 
ively. 3.5-Dichlorotyrosine is not formed in an 
analogous manner by the action of chlorine on the 
amino acid. 
Chlorine and iodine react with tyrosinehydan- 
toin, forming the corresponding 3.5-dichloro- and 
3.5-diiodotyrosinehydantoins, respectively.  Bro- 
mine reacts abnormally with tyrosinehydantoin, 
giving 3.5-dibromobenzalhydantoin. 
TREAT B. JOHNSON: The Action of Potassium 
Thiocyanate on a-Amino Acids. 
The hydantoin derivatives of a-amino acids are 
well known, and of great value for the identifica- 
tions of these acids. The corresponding nitrogen- 
unsubstituted 2-thiohydantoins, however, are not 
known. A practical method has now been devel- 
oped by which representatives of this new class 
SCIENCE 
385 
of compounds can be easily synthesized. The 
2-thiohydantoin derivatives of glycocoll and alanine 
have already been prepared. 
The present communication is in the nature of 
a preliminary statement regarding the extension 
of this work to other a-amino acids, which has 
already been begun. The results indicate that this 
class of compounds will be of great value in help- 
ing us to develop other syntheses of biological 
significance. 
CLARENCE G. Derrick: Correlation of Ionization 
and Structure in the Aromatic Series. 
CLARENCE G. DERicK: A New Proof of the Equiv- 
alency of the Pair of Positions 3 and 5, with 
Respect to Position 1, in the Benzene Ring. 
Harry S. Fry: A Critical Survey of some Recent 
Applications of the Electron Conception of 
Valence. 
Atyin S. WHEELER: New Thermometers for Accu- 
rate Melting-point Determinations. 
The thermometers are of the usual length but 
are graduated only at the lower end so that the 
graduations are completely immersed in the liquid 
of the ordinary melting-point bath, the Thiele for 
instance. There are seven in the set in order to 
cover the necessary range. They may be obtained 
of C. Richter, of Berlin, and standardized by the 
Reichsanstalt. They have met the approval of 
some very well known men. 
Atvin S. WHEELER: The Walden Inversion. 
A model consisting of celluloid balls of various 
colors attached to corks covered with wire bristles 
designed to attach same to a large bristle-covered 
ball, the C atom, was exhibited to illustrate the 
theory propounded by Emil Fischer to explain the 
Walden inversion. The case studied by the author 
with Fischer was that of a-hydroxyisohexoie acid. 
This acid was split into its active forms, the levo 
being obtained in pure condition. Its ethyl ester 
with PBr, yielded a bromo ester which was strongly 
dextrorotatory. But the levo acid with NOBr 
gives a levo bromo acid which yields a levo bromo 
ester. 
R. R. RENSHAW: Studies in the Methods of 
Preparation of Diglycerides. 
The reaction between salts of stearic acid and 
1, 2-dibrom and diiodhydrin have been investigated 
between the temperatures of 130° and 200°. There 
is formed stearic acid, distearin tristearin and 
small amounts of a compound containing bromine 
and stearie acid. Good yields were never obtained. 
The use of the lead salt seems to be preferable. 
