MR. SCHUNCK ON RUBIAN AND ITS PRODUCTS OF DECOMPOSITION. 413 
the greatest part dissolves, leaving imdissolved a small quantity of a white powder, 
which has all the properties of a body which I shall describe presently, and which is 
formed by the action of chlorine on chlororubian. If the alcoholic solution be eva- 
porated to dryness and a little cold alcohol be again added to the residue, the alcohol 
again dissolves a great part, leaving undissolved a yellowish-green granular powder, 
which resembles but is not identical with chlororubiadine. The alcoholic solution 
leaves on evaporation a brown, transparent, resinous substance. This substance con- 
tains a large quantity of chlorine. It dissolves in caustic soda with a brown colour, 
and is reprecipitated by acids in yellow flocks, which melt in the boiling liquid to 
brown oily drops. I found it to contain the following quantities of carbon and 
hydrogen: — 
0'3090 grm., dried at 100 ° C. and burnt with chromate of lead, gave 0’6090 carbonic 
acid and 0T060 water, corresponding in 100 parts to — 
Carbon bo'/o 
Hydrogen . . . . 3 '81 
The formula C 32 H ,3 Clg Oio=C 32 Hjg CI 2 Og-l-HO requires in 100 parts — 
Carbon 53’96 
Hydrogen .... 3'65 
Chlorine .... 19*89 
Oxygen 22*50 
I may mention by the way, that the brown resinous substance, which, as I stated 
above, is formed in small quantities along with chlororubian by the action of chlorine 
on rubian, is very similar both in properties and composition to this substance. It 
was prepared simply by passing chlorine through a solution of rubian, collecting the 
yellow flocks which were formed in the first instance separately, washing them with 
water, and treating with cold alcohol. The filtered solution was evaporated to dry- 
ness, when it left a resinous substance resembling rubiretine. 
0*4130 grm. of this substance, dried in the water-bath, gave 0*8200 carbonic acid 
and 0*1500 water. 
0*3010 grm., burnt with lime, gave 0*2160 chloride of silver. 
These numbers correspond in 100 parts to — • 
Carbon 54*14 
Hydrogen .... 4*03 
Chlorine .... ]7’74 
Oxygen 24*09 
By the action of chlorine on chlororubiadine, a body very similar to these but dif- 
fering in composition is formed. If finely pounded chlororubiadine be suspended in 
water and a stream of chlorine gas be passed through the liquid for some time, the 
powder becomes lighter in colour, but not white. If it now be collected on a filter, 
washed with water, and treated with boiling alcohol, it dissolves in the latter. 
