340 
Mr Morrell , On the oxidation of Glucosone 
The oxidation of Glucosone to Trioxyhntyric Acid. By R. S. 
Morrell, M.A., Gonville and Caius College. 
[Read 3 February 1902.] 
An aqueous solution of glucosone obtained by the action of 
hydrogen peroxide 20 vols. on glucose in the presence of ferrous 
sulphate (G. S. J. 1899, 345; 1900, 1219), was oxidized by 
bromine at 40° C. The excess of bromine was removed by a 
current of air, and the yellow liquid treated with excess of lead 
carbonate. After standing for 24 hours the liquid was filtered 
from lead bromide and excess of lead carbonate; sulphuretted 
hydrogen was passed into the solution, and after filtration, the 
filtrate concentrated in a vacuum on the water bath to a small 
bulk. After boiling with calcium carbonate and decolorising with 
animal charcoal the solution was concentrated in a vacuum on 
the water bath to a small bulk, and then poured into absolute 
alcohol. The calcium salt is obtained as a granular precipitate, 
very soluble in water. It was purified by treatment with oxalic 
acid and calcium carbonate and reprecipitating with alcohol. This 
was done several times, and the purified salt gave numbers agree- 
ing with those required for calcium trioxybutyrate. 
•417 gram calcium salt dried at 110° gave *1780 gram CaS0 4 ; 
indicating 12-6°/ 0 Ca *\2 ,( d 0 ] Q Ca, 
•2155 gram calcium salt dried at 110° gave 
•239 gram CO, 30*2 % C *30-9 % C 
•0895 gram H 2 0 4-6 °/ 0 H *4-5 % H 
•1995 gram calcium salt dried over sulphuric acid in a desiccator 
gave 
•2072 gram CO, 28*3 % C f 27*7 % C 
•0872 gram H,0 4*8 % H f5*2 °/ 0 H 
* calculated for (C 4 H 7 0 5 ) 2 Ca. 
f calculated for (C 4 H 7 0 5 ) 2 Ca, 2H,0. 
The calcium salt gave with normal lead acetate a precipitate 
which is insoluble in dilute acetic acid (characteristic test for 
trioxy butyric acid). Calcium trioxybutyrate obtained from 
erythrite by the action of nitric acid was found to have the same 
properties as this calcium salt prepared from glucosone. 
