CHEMISTRY OF AUSTRALIAN MYRTACEOUS KINOS. 37 
decomposition products at once point to the fact that the powder 
was not ellagic acid. 
The protocatechuic acid is readily obtained in a crystalline state 
by removing the volatile acids from the acidified solution (using 
H,SO,) by petroleum spirit, and then agitating with ether. An 
aqueous solution of these crystals gives the reactions for proto- 
eatechuic acid in a most satisfactory manner. 
We subjoin a tabular statement of the reactions obtained with 
ellagic acid freshly prepared from “Divi Divi” (pods of Cesalpinia 
coriaria), and with the precipitate from Angophora lanceolata, 
prepared exactly in the same way, namely, by concentrating a 
solution of the material in alcohol, pouring into water, filtering, 
washing, dissolving in alcohol, again filtering and evaporating to 
dryness, 
Ellagie Acid from Divi Divi Reputed Ellagic aa 33 cca Angophora 
rong HNO, slightly dissolves 
PSURs mer 
Strong HNO, — with Str 
forming a light yellowish colour. 
reddish to crimson colour; on add- 
ing H,0 light yellow is Seetieed. 
Fuming 3 dissolves, form- Fuming HNO, dissolves, form- 
ing a red colour not so crimson as ing a dark reddish brown colour; 
Preceding. on adding H.0 a —_— resin- 
ous coe body separa 
a dissolves dark yello 
280, dissolves in 
— purple, bec santly i 
plish-black = standing. 
—" iled with H,O a ire 
ssolves ; the ie 
treated with Fe. SS eaireae apary 
colour changing to blackish (ink), 
ote dried powder placed in 
a. solution, soon becomes 
moro ack. on standing becomes 
olution in alcohol is 
qeporated ao a crystalline hecpsints 
ssa Y seen under the 
He 80. abe gost! form- 
inga dba colour, which becomes 
dark bro gc i 
Boiled "with H,O dissolves en- 
tirely, ppt. again o: on cooling ; when 
heated with Fe2Cle dirty green 
colour and dirty green abe are 
fo: 
The dried powder placed in 
Fe.Cl¢ solution becomes greenish- 
brown, becoming greener on stand- 
in. 
Solution in alcohol dries pape 4 
as an amorphous varnish or 
powder not crystalline, as bee 
under the microscope. 
As ellagic acid has as yet only been detected in substances 
which give pyr ogallol on decomposition, the substances (tannates) 
