Ryan and Fitzgerald — On the Identity of Baphinitone. 107 



substance, which was obviously a mixture, gave a precipitate of impure lead 

 baphate with an alcoholic solution of lead acetate, and the filtrate on addition 

 of water yielded acicular crystals of baphinitin (CjiHojOs). On boiling the 

 baphiin with aqueous potash he obtained, in addition to baphinitin, two other 

 substances, one melting at 164-1^ 0., and another melting near 88° C. The 

 latter substance he named baphinitone. 



By the action of bromine on an ethereal solution of baphinitone, Anderson 

 obtained a derivative which crystallised in small needles, melted at 180'2° C, 

 and had apparently the formula CjsHssBrsOe. 



Recently, B. T. Brooks^ showed that narrawood contains pterocarpin and 

 homopterocarpin, and found that the correct formula of the latter is 



OnH.eO^. 



We find that baphinitone, the chief colourless constituent of barwood, is 

 identical with homopterocarpin, which occurs in sanderswood. In agreement 

 with Brooks, we find that the formula of baphinitone or homopterocarpin is 

 CnHisOi. The only crystalline bromine derivative of it which we were able 

 to isolate had the formula Ci,HuBr204. Cazeneuve's statement that hydriodic 

 acid reacts with homopterocarpin to form methyl iodide, we find to be 

 incorrect. Homopterocarpin contains no methoxy group ; but, nevertheless, 

 a phenolic substance is obtained by the action on it of hydriodic acid. 



Experimental Part. 



Ground barwood, contained in a 10-litre flask, was percolated for a few 

 days, first with warm alcohol, next with ether, and finally with chloroform. 

 The extracts were distilled, and the mixed residues were exhausted with 

 ether. The ethereal solution was washed with dilute potash until nearly 

 colourless, and then distilled. The residue, thus obtained, formed, when 

 recrystallised from hot alcohol, colourless acicular crystals, which melted at 

 84°C. It was sparingly soluble in cold alcohol, readily in ether or chloro- 

 form, and insoluble in aqueous potash. On analysis the following results 

 were obtained : — 



0-1446 gave 0-3790 CO,, and 0-0736 H,0, 



corresponding to C 71-5. H 5-7. 



CnHisOi requires C 71-8, H 5-6. 



(CiHiO)^ requires C 70-6, H 5-9. 



1-0046 gramme of the substance raised the boiling-point of 18-5 c.c. 

 chloroform by 0-53° C. Mol. wt. 266. 



1 Piiilippine Journal of Science, v, 1910, A, p. 439. 



