340 Mr Morrell, On the oxidation of Glucosone 



The oxidation of Glucosone to Trioxybidyric Acid. By R. S. 

 Morrell, M.A., Gonville and Caius College. 



[Read 3 February 1902.] 



An aqueous solution of glucosone obtained by the action of 

 hydrogen peroxide 20 vols, on glucose in the presence of ferrous 

 sulphate (C. 8. J. 1899, 345; 1900, 121.9), was oxidized by 

 bromine at 40° C. The excess of bromine was removed by a 

 current of air, and the yellow liquid treated with excess of lead 

 carbonate. After standing for 24 hours the liquid was filtered 

 from lead bromide and excess of lead carbonate ; sulphuretted 

 hydrogen was passed into the solution, and after filtration, the 

 filtrate concentrated in a vacuum on the water bath to a small 

 bulk. After boiling with calcium carbonate and decolorising with 

 animal charcoal the solution was concentrated in a vacuum on 

 the water bath to a small bulk, and then poured into absolute 

 alcohol. The calcium salt is obtained as a granular precipitate, 

 very soluble in water. It was purified by treatment with oxalic 

 acid and calcium carbonate and reprecipitating with alcohol. This 

 was done several times, and the purified salt gave numbers agree- 

 ing with those required for calcium trioxybutyrate. 



•417 gram calcium salt dried at 110° gave "1780 gram OaS0 4 ; 

 indicating 12-6% Ca *12-9%Ca 



•2155 gram calcium salt dried at 110° gave 



•239 gram C0 2 30-2 % C *30-9 % C 



•0895 gram H 2 4-6 °/ H *4-5 % H 



•1995 gram calcium salt dried over sulphuric acid in a desiccator 

 gave 



•2072 gram C0 2 28-3 % C 1277% C 



•0872 gram H 2 4-8 % H f5'2 % H 



* calculated for (C 4 H 7 5 ) 2 Ca. 



f calculated for (C 4 H 7 6 ) 2 Ca, 2H 2 0. 



The calcium salt gave with normal lead acetate a precipitate 

 which is insoluble in dilute acetic acid (characteristic test for 

 trioxybutyric acid). Calcium trioxybutyrate obtained from 

 erythrite by the action of nitric acid was found to have the same 

 properties as this calcium salt prepared from glucosone. 



