218 Messrs. Dorée and Gardner. Origin and  [Dee. 20, 
at. 78°5 to 79°5 C., and solidifies at 77°, a characteristic property. It is 
optically inactive, and does not give the cholesterol colour reactions. These 
observations are at variance with the statements of Bondzynski and 
Humunicki, who attribute to hippocoprosterol a slight dextrorotation and 
a green colour reaction in a modified Salkowski test, but seeing that their 
product melted at 74° to 75° C., it probably contained some impurity which 
produced these effects. Wilenko’s 8-hippocoprosterol, which is undoubtedly 
identical with ours, he describes as melting at 56°, a discrepancy we are 
unable to understand, since on elaborate purification of our product we 
failed to obtain any alteration in the melting point. Hippocoprosterol — 
does not absorb bromine in carbon bisulphide solution. Dry bromine in a 
sealed tube at 100° C. is without action, but at 170° C. various substitution 
products are obtained. 
For analysis the substance was dried 7m vacuo at the ordinary temperature, 
and was burnt in a copper boat filled with coarse copper oxide. 
I. 01936 gave 0°5823 CO, and 0:2473 H,0. 
et Urine us 0:4352' CO, _ ,;, 0:1738 HO. 
Found. Calculated for 
— HS FF ae — 
I. II. C,,H,,0. C,,H,,0. 
Cae. 82:03 82:03 S204: 81°73 
Eee mee 14°13 14°11 13°80 14°24. 
A molecular weight determination, carried out by the cryoscopic method, 
showed that it possesses the simple formula :-— 
08321 gramme in 13°36 grammes of naphthalene (constant — 70) gave a 
depression of 1°157. 
Molecular weight found, 377. C2;H;,0 requires 396. 
Hvppocoprosterol Acetate-——One part of hippocoprosterol was mixed with 
two parts of fused sodium acetate and five to six parts of acetic anhydride, 
and heated to boiling for half an hour. The product was poured into water, 
and the precipitated acetate dissolved in acetic ether. It came out from 
this in flocks, which consisted of microscopic needles resembling the original 
substance. The yield was almost quantitative. 
The acetate is moderately soluble in alcohol and acetic ether, easily in 
ether, benzene and petrol. From the latter it was obtained in shining flakes, 
which were sticky, caking together under the Jeast pressure. Melting point 
61° to 62° C. 
On analysis, the following figures were obtained :— 
