416 MR. SCHUNCK ON RUBIAN AND ITS PRODUCTS OF DECOMPOSITION. 
In 100 parts it contained therefore — 
Carbon 65’ 12 
Hydrogen 3‘26 
Chlorine 9‘39 
Oxygen 22‘23 
Should the body formed from chlororubian by caustic alkalies be found to contain 
44 equivalents of carbon, the most appropriate name for it would be Oxyruhian. 
The liquid filtered from this body is still red. On adding to it sulphuric acid, a 
yellowish-brown flocculent precipitate falls. This precipitate consists of several 
bodies. If after being filtered and washed it be treated with boiling alcohol, a part 
dissolves, leaving undissolved a dark brown substance, which after drying becomes 
black. This substance is doubtless a product of the decomposition of sugar, as it has 
the same properties and very nearly the same composition as the body, insoluble in 
alcohol, which I obtained by the decomposition of rubiao with caustic soda*. 
O'l/GOgrm. of this substance gave 0'4360 carbonic acid and 0‘06.50 water, corre- 
sponding in 100 parts to — 
Carbon 67'56 
Hydrogen 4* 10 
Oxygen 28'34 
On adding acetate of lead to the liquid filtered from this precipitate, a brown pre- 
cipitate falls, which after being filtered off, washed with alcohol and decomposed with 
boiling muriatic acid, yields brown flocks. These, on being dried and treated with 
cold alcohol, yield to the latter a body resembling and probably identical with rubi- 
retine, while a brown powder is left undissolved, having the properties and composi- 
tion of verantine. 
0'1755 grm. of the latter, after being purified by redissolving in a boiling mixture of 
alcohol and ammonia, then adding an excess of acetic acid, collecting the pulverulent 
deposit formed on cooling, and washing v/ith alcohol, gave 0’4170 carbonic acid and 
0'0680 water. 
In 100 parts it contained therefore — 
Carbon 64‘80 
Flydrogeu 4'30 
Oxygen 30 '90 
The liquid filtered from the lead precipitate is yellow. It gives with water a yellow 
precipitate, which, after being filtered off and washed with water, dissolves again in 
boiling alcohol, witli the exception of a little brown flocculent matter. The alcoholic 
solution, on evaporation, leaves a yellow uncrystalline substance resembling impure 
rubiadine, which contains no chlorine, gives when heated a sublimate like that from 
* Philosophical Transactions, 1853, p. 71. 
