174 



Scientific Proceedings (67). 



Abstracts of the Communications, Pacific Coast Branch. 



104 (1036) 



Further studies on the occurrence of para-hydroxyphenyl- 

 ethylamine in mistletoes. 



By Zeno Ostenberg (by invitation). 



[From the Laboratory of Pharmacology, Stanford Medical School.] 



In continuation of the work carried on in this laboratory on the 

 occurrence of ^-hydroxyphenyl-ethylamine in a southern mistletoe 

 (Phoradendron flavescens Nutt.), it was decided to examine all the 

 species of mistletoe available, and isolate and identify the amines 

 present. 



The examination of a commercial fluid extract of European 

 mistletoe {Viscum album) 1 showed that a considerable quantity 

 of a mixture of amines was present. From 946 c.c. of the fluid 

 extract there was isolated .660 gram of mixed oxalates of the 

 amines. This yielded .240 gm. of pure ^-hydroxyphenyl-ethyl- 

 amine oxalate, m.p. 203°-204° (corr.). The picrate melted at 

 206 0 as did that of the picrate of synthetic ^-hydroxyphenyl- 

 ethylamine. The di-benzoyl derivatives of both the natural and 

 synthetic amine melted at 174 0 when melted either separately or 

 mixed, provided they were crystallized from hot propyl alcohol 

 (Kahlbaum's), but at 171. 5 0 when crystallized from 50 per cent, 

 propyl or ethyl alcohol. All melting points were made with 

 Anschiitz short scale thermometers (tested and found accurate to 

 .2°) in a Roth melting point apparatus, and therefore need no 

 correction and would naturally be somewhat higher than un- 

 corrected readings, but this does not account for the great dif- 

 ference between these melting points and those reported by others. 

 When more material becomes available the reasons for these 

 differences will be carefully investigated. 



A platinichloride, isolated from the hydrochlorides of the 

 steam volatile portion of the amines, was heated to 270 0 when it 

 decomposed without melting. The amount obtained was too 

 small to examine further. 



1 Put up by John Wyeth and Brother, Philadelphia. 



