90 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Bimeihoxy-isophthcdoyl-dipyruvic ethyl ester crystallizes from alcohol in 

 yellow felted needles, which melt at 186-188° C. It is soluble in cold 

 chloroform and acetone, insohible in ether, sparingly soluble in benzene and 

 alcohol, and readily soluble in boiling alcohol. Its alcoholic solution gives 

 a brownish-red colour with ferric chloride. Concentrated sulphuric acid 

 colours the crystals orange, and dissolves them, forming an orange solution. 



Heating the diketone with concentrated hydriodic acid, with a view to 

 obtaining a dichromone derivative, gave a non-crystallizable tarry product. 

 The substance was also heated with concentrated hydrochloric acid, in a sealed 

 tube, at 160° C, for three hours. The product in this case was so resinified 

 that it could not be crystallized. 



Dimethoxy-isojphthaloyl-dipyruvic methyl ester. 



CH3O /\ 0CH3 

 H3COOC • CO ■ CH2 • CO 1 J CO ■ CH2 ■ CO • COOCH3 



Dimethoxy-isophthaloyl-dipyi'uvic methyl ester was prepared by the conden- 

 sation of diacetoresorcinol-dimethylether with dimethyl oxalate, in a manner 

 similar to that described for the condensation with diethyl oxalate. 



On analysis it gave the following results : — 



0-137 substance gave 0-2724 CO, and 00629 H^O 

 corresponding to C 54-22, H 5-1 

 CsH^O.o requires G 54-82, H 4-56. 



The substance crystallizes from alcohol in bright- yellow needles, which 

 melt at 205-206" C. Its properties are similar to those described for the 

 ethyl ester. 



