- 165 - 



In our April Report of 1911, p. 167, we mentioned that Klobb, Gamier 

 and Ehrwein had recovered hydrocarbons from the dried flowers of a large 

 number of plants. Klobb '), after removing the hydrocarbons, has isolated 

 from the ethereal or alcoholic extract of the flowers of Matricaria Chamo- 

 milla, Tilia europcea, Linaria vulgaris and Verbascum Thapsus, Z-phytosterols 

 possessing the following melting-points: 120 to 131°, 126°, 133 to 138° 

 and 142 to 144°. 



In our last Report (p. 124) we stated that Sack had detected the pre- 

 sence of indole in the flowers of various Citrus-species. We gather from 

 the Apotheker Zeitung 2 ) that Sack has also found the same body in the 

 aroma of the flowers of Citrus Medica, L. and C. Limetta, Risso. 



F. Horton and E. F. and H. E. Armstrong 3 ) report on a glucoside of 

 Lotus corniculatus, L. (N. O. Leguminosse) which splits off hydrocyanic acid. 

 The glucoside is generally accompanied by an enzyme. Lotus corniculatus 

 var. major contains neither glucoside nor enzyme. 



Chemical Notes. 



With the object of discovering a standard for the unsaturated character 

 of hydroaromatic compounds, J. Klimont and W. Neumann 4 ) have investi- 

 gated the conditions under which the absorption of bromine by unsaturated 

 compounds takes place quantitatively. Working according to the equation 



5KBr + KBr0 3 + 3H 2 S0 4 = 3K 2 S0 4 + 3H 2 + 3Br 2 

 good results were obtained. The generation of halogen oxide compounds 

 is prevented by adding sulphuric acid. The determination is carried out 

 by dissolving a few decigram of the terpene in chloroform, diluting 

 the mixture with a known quantity of an aqueous solution of potassium 

 bromide and potassium bromate in the proportions indicated by the above 

 equation, adding sulphuric acid (1 : 2) and shaking. Iodide of potassium 

 is then added in excess and the iodine liberated is titrated. 



Hydrocarbons. 



A paper by A. F. Sievers 5 ) on the absorption of organic acids by 



unsaturated hydrocarbons contains some interesting data on the behaviour 



^of these acids, particularly glacial acetic acid, towards pinene and limonene. 



i) Annal. de Chim. et Phys. (8), 24 (1911), 410. Quoted from Chem. Zentralbl. 1912, I. 87. 

 2 ) Pharm. Weekblad 48 (1911), 48, 307. Quoted from Apotheker Ztg. 26 (1911), 836. 

 *) Chem. News 104 (1911), 276. Quoted from Pharmaceutical Journ. 87 (1911), 81. 

 *) Pharm. Post 44 (1911), 587. Quoted from Chem. Zentralbl. 1911, II. 953. 

 *) Bull, of the Univers. of Wisconsin, Science Series, 4 (1911), 39 (No. 434). From a 

 reprint kindly sent to us. 



