Sc hunch . — The Chemistry of Chlorophyll, ioi 
of acicular crystals, which are mostly opaque, but when very 
thin are transparent, and appear olive-coloured by transmitted 
light. In mass the substance appears of a fine purplish-blue 
colour, and shows a semi-metallic lustre. It is insoluble in 
water, sparingly soluble in alcohol and ether, more easily 
soluble in benzol and carbon disulphide, and very easily 
soluble in chloroform. The solutions when dilute have a dull 
purplish or pink colour, and show a peculiar and interesting 
absorption-spectrum, differing widely from that of other de- 
rivatives of chlorophyll, and characterised by the presence of 
a very dark band near the line E, followed by two paler ones, 
both however very distinct, nearer the blue end. By using 
methylic in place of ethylic alcohol in the extraction of leaves, 
and applying the same treatment as that just described, a 
compound differing slightly from that obtained by ethylic 
alcohol is procured ; it crystallises in purple needles, which 
are more lustrous than those of the other compound ; it is 
almost insoluble in alcohol and ether, but easily soluble in 
chloroform, the solution showing exactly the same absorption 
bands as that of the first compound. These compounds are 
the ethyl and methyl ethers respectively of a derivative of 
chlorophyll, the preparation and properties of which may now 
be shortly described. 
The compounds are insoluble in aqueous alkalis, even on 
boiling, but they are immediately dissolved and decomposed 
on treatment with alcoholic potash or soda, the process being 
one of saponification. When the ethyl-compound is treated 
with boiling alcoholic soda it dissolves ; the solution on 
standing deposits a sodium salt in the shape of a dark- 
green, almost black, semi-crystalline mass, which is filtered 
off, washed with absolute alcohol, and dissolved in water. 
The dark-green aqueous solution gives with acetic acid, of 
which a great excess must be avoided, a green flocculent 
precipitate, which is filtered off, thoroughly washed with 
w T a"er, and then dissolved in ether. On slow evaporation the 
ethereal solution yields regular, lustrous crystals of a sub- 
stance which, I think, had never previously been described. 
