956 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1096 



In the inversion of sugar and in the hydrolysis 

 of esters in the presence of acids, the speed of the 

 reaction is a direct function of the concentration 

 of the hydrogen ions. In the conversion of cin- 

 chona alkaloids into their toxins, however, we are 

 dealing with a catalysis in which the hydrogen ion 

 acts as an inhibiting agent and the positive catalyst 

 is the undissociated molecule of an organic acid. 

 The Isomerism of 1, 4, 5, 6, Tetrahydroxynaphtha- 



lene: A. S. Wheeler and V. C. Edwaeds. 



Naphtazarin on reduction with stannous chloride 

 and hydrochloric acid yields 1, 4, 5, 6, tetrahydroxy- 

 naphthalene, yellow, melting at 154°. It dissolves 

 in alcohol, but deposits deep red crystals, also melt- 

 ing at 154°, which possess the same empirical for- 

 mula and do not even differ in structure so far as 

 the experiments of Zineke and Schmidt and our- 

 selves indicate. We find, however, that the yellow 

 compound, always considered a phenol, is also a 

 ketone and must be included among the keto-enol 

 compounds. We obtained excellent yields of ke- 

 tone derivatives with semicarbazine, phenylsemi- 

 carbazine, and four other similar reagents. No 

 oxime could be prepared on account of the sensi- 

 tiveness of this phenol to basic reagents. Accord- 

 ing to whether we used one or two molecules of 

 phenylsemiearbazine, we get a mono- or a diphenyl- 

 semicarbazone. Acetylation gives a high yield of 

 a tetracetyl derivative. The isomers themselves 

 we have been unable to separate. 

 The Bromination of 1, Jf, 5, 6, Tetrahydroxynaph- 



thalene: A. S. Wheeler and V. C. Edwards. 



This phenol is readily brominated, best in gla- 

 cial acetic acid solution, a dibromdihydroxyquinone 

 being formed. If the bromination is carried out in 

 hot acetic acid, the product contains two less H 

 atoms. These products are very slowly acetylated 

 with acetyl chloride and this made the starting- 

 point of two series of derivatives whose character 

 can not be indicated in a short abstract. Naphta- 

 zarine was also brominated and yielded a series of 

 derivatives which assisted in determining the struc- 

 ture of members of the above series. 



Simple and Mixed Alkyl Phosphates: W. A. 

 Drtishel. 



1. The alkyl phosphates are very stable at room 

 temperature in JV/10 HGl, but are rapidly saponi- 

 fied by barium hydroxide. 



2. All alkyl groups are hydrolyzable, the first 

 more easily than the second and third. 



3. In mixed alkyl phosphates one alkyl group is 

 not hydrolyzed to the exclusion of the other, con- 

 trary to Lessen and Kohler's theory. 



4. These esters are distillable in vacuo without 

 decomposition. 



On the Preparation and Properties of Hydracrylio 



Esters: W. A. Deushel and W. H. T. Holden. 



Hydracrylic acid is obtained from glycerine 

 through B-iodopropionic acid by the removal of 

 hydriodic acid from the latter by silver oxide. It 

 is easily esterified with common alcohols in the ab- 

 sence of mineral acids by using anhydrous copper 

 sulphate. The yields of esters are from 80 per 

 cent, to 90 per cent. 



The hydracrylic esters are all colorless, with a 

 faint but characteristic odor, mostly readily sol- 

 uble in water, all below isoamyl hydraeryate are 

 heavier than water and all boil with decomposition 

 at atmospheric pressure but are distillable under 

 diminished pressure without decomposition. 

 On the Synthesis of GlycocoU and Diethyl Carbon- 

 ate: W. A. Drushel and D. E. Knapp. 



A modification of the method of Kraut for the 

 preparation of glycocoll. The yield is the same as 

 that obtained by Kraut (55 per cent.). 



Nef 's method for the preparation of diethyl car- 

 bonate is modified. Diethyl carbonate boils at 

 127°. The specific gravity at 25° is 0.968 and the 

 saponification equivalent is 59. 

 Further Studies upon the Besene of Pinus Hetero- 



pylla: Chas. H. Herty and V. A. Coulter. 

 The Occurrence of Inosite Triphosphoric Acid in 



Cottonseed Meal: J. B. Eatheb. 



An inosite phosphoric acid corresponding in com- 

 position to inosite triphosphoric acid, CoHo(OH)3- 

 (HoPOi)^, has been separated from cottonseed meal 

 by means of its erystallin strychnin salt. This 

 confirms the previous work of the author on the 

 composition of the acid in so far as it indicates 

 that cottonseed meal contains an iuosite-phosphorie 

 acid much richer in carbon and poorer in phos- 

 phorus than the so-called phytic acid C.HsP.Oj. 

 These results are not in accord with the view that 

 the principal inosite phosphoric acid of cottonseed 

 meal is inosite hexaphosphoric acid C'oHj ( H.POi) s, 

 although it is possible that the present acid is a 

 hydrolytic product of that substance. 

 Baly 's Theory of Chemical Reactions: W. M. Dehn. 

 Study of the Common Bean: W. M. Dehn. 

 A Case of Steric Hindrance in Enzymes: W. M. 



Dehn. 

 Colorimetrie Studies of Picrate Solutions: W. M. 



Dehn. 

 Certain Non-interchangeable Radicals: W. M. 



Dehn. Charles L. Parsons, 



Secretary 



1519 If] 



p/ 



