370 GIBBS. 



The phenerythrene of Fabini may well be phenoquinone or a derivative 

 of quinone. The existence of the isophenol of Brunner, to which Bees 

 ascribes the color, is problematical. 



Since quinone, produced by the oxidation of phenol, has been found 

 to produce the major portion of the color in the samples examined by 

 me, it is evident that sulphur dioxide as suggested by Renter, and 

 stannous salts as mentioned by Kremel will retard the prodixction of 

 the colored compounds, while many other metallic salts, as stated by 

 Sicha, Meyke, Hager, Kremel, Mylius, Fabini, Kolrn and Fryer, and 

 Walter will accelerate this phenomenon by reason of their tendency to 

 increase the rate of oxidation. 



SUMMARY. 



The tendency which phenol has to assume a red color- on standing has 

 generally been attributed to impurities. While several workers have 

 proved that pure phenol is colored in the presence of moisture, oxygen, 

 and light rays or by hydrogen peroxide oxidation, no explanations of 

 the reactions involved have been made. This work has proved the 

 principal products to be quinone and catechol. The major portion of 

 the color in red phenol is produced by quinone or quinone derivatives 

 in solution. The jDresence of the brilliant red condensation product, 

 phenoquinone, is highly probable. 



