206 Proceedings of the. Royal Irish Academy. 



of sodium wire there ensued an energetic reaction, which was attended by the 

 separation of a brown solid. As soon as the reaction had subsided and the 

 flask had become cool, 30 c.cs. of anhydrous ether were added, and the mixture 

 was set aside at the laboratory temperature for twelve hours. The ether 

 was decanted from the solid ; the latter was then well shaken with dilute 

 hydrochloric acid, filtered, and reerystallized from acetone. When dried at 

 10b D O, it melted at 174° C, and gave on analysis the following results : — 



0-1766 substance gave 0-3959 C0 2 and 0-0740 H 2 

 corresponding to C 61-13, H 4-65 

 C 14 H 12 6 requires C 60-84, H 4-38. 



Methylene-'i'A-dioxycinnamoyl-pyruvic methyl ester crystallizes from 

 acetone in deep yellow plates, which are insoluble in cold alcohol or 

 petroleum ether, and soluble in chloroform, hot alcohol, or acetone. 



The crystals are coloured deep red by concentrated sulphuric acid, in which 

 they dissolve, forming a dark-red solution. 



A solution of the substance in boiling alcohol gives a brown coloration 

 with ferric chloride. 



When mordanted wool is boiled with a solution of the compound in diluted 

 alcohol, the following shades are obtained : — 



Mordant. Colour. 



Aluminium Sulphate, . . Yellow. 



Potassium Dichromate, . . Light brown. 



Stannous Chloride, . . Orange-yellow. 



Ferric Sulphate, . . . Brownish black. 



Its 'isoxazol was obtained by heating it for several hours with an alcoholic 

 solution of hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The solution was concentrated, 

 mixed with hot water, boiled with animal charcoal, and filtered while hot. It 

 was reerystallized from boiling alcohol. It consists of colourless prisms, which 

 melt at 114°-116° C, are insoluble in dilute potash, sparingly soluble in cold 

 alcohol or ether, soluble in warm alcohol, and readily soluble in chloroform. 



8. MethyleneS'i-Dioxycinnamoyl-Fyruvic Acid. 

 CH 2 2 C 6 H 3 CH : CH . CO . CH 2 . CO . COOH. 



By shaking 1-38 grams of methyl methylene-3 - 4-dioxycinnamoyl- 

 pyruvate with 20 c.cs. of semi-normal potash for several hours, the ester was 

 hydrolysed to the corresponding acid. The alkaline solution, which was 

 coloured brown, was freed from neutral substances by diluting with water and 



