TRIMETHYLAMINE IN AUSTRALIAN SALT BUSH. 237 



Trimethylamine has also been found in Arnica montana, 

 the seeds of Mercurialis annua, the flowers of Crataegus 

 oxyacantha and Pyrus aucuparia, the blossoms of the pear, 

 hawthorn and wild cherry, and in many other plants. 



Choline, betaine and allied bases containing a trimethyl- 

 amine complex appear to be normal constituents in all the 



Chenopodiacese examined according to Schulze and Trier, 1 

 and Stanek. 2 



As shown in the experimental evidence, trimethylamine 

 was found in the distillate after distilling the salt bush 

 with caustic alkali. It is possible that the whole of this 

 compound thus obtained may have been derived from 

 lecithin or bases like choline, betaine, etc., but that a small 

 quantity also exists naturally in the free state in the grow- 

 ing plant at certain times of the year is shown by the very 

 characteristic herring-brine odour which it emits. Kauff- 

 mann and Vorl'ander 3 have estimated that it is possible to 

 detect '0000005 gram of trimethylamine by its odour. 

 Further evidence was obtained by distilling some of the 

 fresh plant with water alone, when an alkaline distillate 

 of a pronounced fishy odour was obtained. It was also 

 observed that litmus paper suspended over the freshly 

 cut plant in a closed vessel gradually becomes blue. This 

 small amount of free trimethylamine is probably the result 

 of the decomposition of a more complex substance in the 

 plant by means of an enzyme. The experimental results 

 show that a basic substance containing the trimethylamine 

 complex and closely resembling choline in its chemical 

 properties is the parent substance from which this tri- 

 methylamine originates. 



1 Journ. Chem. Soc. A., 1912, n, 1203. 



2 Chemical Abstract, 1910, iv, 1181. 



3 Ber. Deut. Chem. Gessells., 43, 2736. 



