. 
A NEW COLOR TEST FOR THE LIGNOCELLULOSES. 
ALVIN S. WHEELER. 
The lignocelluloses give a number of color reactions, the 
most valuable being the reaction with phloroglucinol in 
hydrochloric acid solution. The rich reddish violet color is 
very pronounced. The salts of anilin give a golden yellow 
but the color is not sufficiently dark to allow them to com- 
pete with phloroglucinol. However, I have observed that 
the salts of the nitranilines produce a color which is very 
striking, a rich blood red color. As phloroglucinol solutions 
are said to deteriorate with age, I have kept for one year 
exposed to full daylight a hydrochloric acid solution of 
phloroglucinol and also one of paranitraniline. The phenol 
solution became brown, showing some decomposition and on 
applying it to pine sawdust the violet color was not fully 
developed instantly but in a few minutes became as dark as 
that made by a fresh solution. The nitraniline solution was 
perfectly stable and gave its reaction as quickly as a fresh 
solution. So far as a year’s time is concerned the new 
reagent has no real advantage over the old. 
The red color is produced by the salts of the ortho, meta 
and paranitranilines but the meta compounds are much 
inferior, the color being pale in comparison. The ortho and 
para compounds give the same deep color. Paranitraniline 
is to be preferred since it is more readily obtained. Different 
salts of this amine such as sulphate, nitrate, hydrobromide 
and hydrochloride were tested but no difference was noted. 
The hydrochloride was adopted for use. This salt, dis- 
solved in pure water, only gives a yellow color, but on stand- 
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