450 



Dr. E. Schunck. 



sides of the glass. These needles continue to increase in quantity 

 for some time ; they are filtered off', washed with alcohol, and then 

 treated with boiling ether, which removes a quantity of fatty matter, 

 at the same time dissolving some of the substance itself. The residue 

 is dissolved in a small quantity of chloroform, and the solution which 

 is deeply coloured is then mixed with several times its volume of 

 absolute alcohol. On standing, the liquid deposits a quantity of long 

 crystalline needles, which are collected on a filter and washed with 

 alcohol, in which they are only slightly soluble. The substance thus 

 obtained is apparently an ethyl compound, and is probably the ethyl 

 other of the product formed by the action of alkalis on phyllocyanin, 

 this being the conclusion to which its reactions seem to point. In 

 mass it appears of a fine purplish-blue, and shows a semi-metallic 

 lustre. Under the microscope it is seen to consist of acicular crystals, 

 which are mostly opaque, but when very thin are transparent, and 

 appear pale olive-coloured by transmitted light. It softens at 205° C, 

 but it has no definite melting-point. When strongly heated in a glass 

 tube it .is decomposed without yielding any crystalline sublimate, 

 leaving a voluminous charcoal ; heated on platinum it burns away 

 without leaving any ash. It is insoluble in water, sparingly soluble in 

 boiling alcohol and ether, more easily soluble in benzol and carbon 

 disulphide, and very easily soluble in chloroform. The solutions when 

 diluted have a dull-purplish or pink colour, and show an absorption 

 spectrum identical with one already depicted as belonging to one of 

 the derivatives of phyllocyanin (' Proceedings,' vol. 42, Plate 1, fig. 13). 

 It dissolves in boiling glacial acetic acid and crystallises out on cooling. 

 It is also soluble in concentrated hydrochloric acid, giving a solution 

 which has the same greenish-blue colour, and shows the same absorp- 

 tion-bands as a solution of phyllocyanin in the same menstruum, but 

 on the addition of water it is precipitated unchanged. The quantity of 

 the product, in a crude state, obtained by the method described, 

 amounted to 4*5 parts from 1000 of dry grass. 



When methylic alcohol is employed in the extraction of leaves, and 

 the same process as that above described is gone through, a similar 

 compound is obtained, but differing from it in some respects. It 

 crystallises in lustrous purple needles, rather lighter in colour than 

 those from ethylic alcohol ; it has no definite melting point ; it is 

 hardly soluble in boiling alcohol or ether, but easily soluble in chloro- 

 form, the solution showing the same absorption-bands as that of the 

 other compound. It can hardly be doubted that this is the corre- 

 sponding methyl ether. 



These compounds are insoluble in aqueous alkalis, and are very 

 little changed by prolonged boiling therewith, but on treatment with 

 alcoholic potash or soda they are immediately dissolved and decom- 

 posed. The process is apparently one of saponification, the product 



