192 The Philippine Journal of Science isn 



He prepared a crystalline hymenodictyonine by extremely slow 

 evaporation of an ethereal solution. Analysis of the compound 

 showed it to be dibasic, probably a tertiary diamine, with the 

 formula C 32 H 40 N 3 and bearing relationship to either berberine 

 or cinchona (paricine). Some further properties which he at- 

 tributes to the hymenodictyonine are these: 



DesaHption of the Alkaloid. — In the moist condition, as obtained by pre- 

 cipitation with caustic alkali, it is a gelatinous mass of a cream colour and 

 greedy of water, which it retains with extreme tenacity. By exposure it 

 shortly acquires a decided yellow colour, which deepens with increase of 

 temperature and passes into a light brown at 100°C. It has a persistently 

 bitter taste, which is more quickly perceived when in solution than when 

 in the solid state. It is readily soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzol, 

 and light petroleum spirit. On evaporation of its ethereal solution at a 

 slightly elevated temperature it separates out in the form of oily drops. 

 If the heat be continued beyond that required for the complete evaporation 

 of the ether, the oily drops coalesce and the whole assumes the character 

 of a soft sticky resin. It commences to fuse at 66°C, and at 70°C. it 

 will flow with ease sufficient to admit of its transference to another vessel. 

 It neutralizes acids completely and the solutions are not fluorescent. It 

 refuses to yield crystallizable salts with nitric, hydrochloric, acetic, sul- 

 phuric, phosphoric and hydrobromic acids. Its solution in hydrochloric acid 

 is precipitated by nitric acid, sodium nitrate and phosphate, potassium 

 iodide, ferro and ferricyanide and bichromate, and mercuric chloride, in 

 addition to the usual alkaloidal reagents. Potassium sulphocyanide added 

 in excess to a neutral solution of the base in acetic acid gives reddish-yellow 

 oily drops. A feebly acid solution gives with bromine a bright yellow 

 precipitate and with solution of chlorinated lime a white precipitate un- 

 affected by ammonia. A two per cent solution in 90 per cent alcohol is 

 optically inactive. 



Naylor 4i did some work on Hymenodictyon excelsum prior to 

 that already quoted. The difficulties encountered here were 

 cleared up in the later work, in which radical changes were 

 made in his methods of analysis and certain mistakes corrected. 



It is of interest to note that Naylor makes no mention of any 

 fluorescence existing in any of his original solutions. In all the 

 solutions from the material furnished in this investigation such 

 a phenomenon was a marked factor in determining the relative 

 extractive power of the solvent. 



Comparative tests on the products isolated from Philippine 

 Hymenodictyon excelsum and on specimens of pure sesculin show 

 them to be very similar in many of their reactions, and con- 

 fusion as to the identity of the compound could easily arise. 



Some differences exist in the literature regarding the melting 

 point of sesculin. 



"Naylor, W. A. W., ibid. (1883), 13, 817; (1884), 15, 195. 



