Contributions to the Chemistry of Chlorophyll. 361 



All the members of the iron group of compounds undergo a peculiar 

 change by the action of ether. When the alcoholic solution of any 

 one of them is mixed with its own volume of ether, the green colour 

 gradually fades and gives place to yellow. All the bands except 

 that in the red disappear, while another fine band further in the red 

 makes its appearance. At length the two bands in the red also 

 vanish, and nothing is now seen but a considerable obscuration at the 

 blue end, due to the presence of a yellow colouring matter in solu- 

 tion. The change resembles that which is seen on exposure of a 

 chlorophyll solution to air and sunlight ; it takes place, however, 

 quite as readily in a closely stoppered bottle, kept in the dark, as in 

 an open tube exposed to light. It is effected more rapidly by ordinary 

 methylated ether than by pure ether. Benzol and acetone act in the 

 same way as ether, but chloroform and carbon disulphide are without 

 effect. 



The phyllocyanin manganese acetate, which is obtained by adding 

 manganese acetate to a solution of phyllocyanin in glacial acetic acid, 

 differs from the compounds previously described by its solubility in 

 water. It also dissolves easily in alcohol, but less readily in ether 

 and benzol. Its solutions are green, like those of the iron compounds, 

 and show a peculiar spectrum. It is not changed by treatment with 

 boiling hydrochloric acid, and its alcoholic solution remains unaltered 

 when mixed with ether or benzol. 



VOL* XXXIX. 



