102 Schunck. — The Chemistry of Chlorophyll ’ 
I have called this substance ‘ phyllotaoninl from its resem- 
bling in colour and lustre the eyes in the peacock’s tail h 
It may also be obtained by the action of caustic alkali on 
phyllocyanin, but in not nearly so pure a state as by the 
method just described. Hence it appears that by acting on 
chlorophyll, first with acid and then with alkali, the same pro- 
duct is finally arrived at, as by employing alkali in the first 
instance, and then acid, the ethers occupying only an inter- 
mediate stage in the latter process. 
Phyllotaonin appears on evaporation of its ethereal solution 
in regular flattened crystals 1 2 or crystalline scales, which by 
reflected light appear of a fine peacock or steel-blue colour ; 
the crystals are mostly opaque, but when very thin they are 
transparent and then appear brown by transmitted light. It 
melts at 184° C. to a brown resinous mass, with partial de- 
composition ; heated on platinum it burns away without 
residue. It is insoluble in water, but easily soluble in alcohol 
and ether ; the solutions have the same colour and show ex- 
actly the same absorption-bands as solutions of phyllocyanin ; 
but if the least trace of acid be present in the solution the 
spectrum gradually changes in a manner to be presently 
described. It is soluble in benzol and carbon disulphide, 
and very easily soluble in chloroform, but insoluble in ligroin. 
From phyllocyanin, for which it might be mistaken, phyllo- 
taonin may be easily distinguished by its dissolving in glacial 
acetic acid with a fine violet colour, the corresponding solu- 
tion of phyllocyanin being of a dull green ; it may also be 
distinguished by its behaviour to acids generally. In contact 
with acids phyllotaonin undergoes a series of changes, accom- 
panied by corresponding changes in the absorption-spectrum. 
If to an ethereal or alcoholic solution of phyllotaonin a small 
1 raw v, a peacock. 
2 Dr. Burghardt, of the Owens College, describes the crystals as follows : — 
‘ Crystal system monosymmetrical, oblique, rectangular prism, formed by the 
combination of the ortho- and clino-pinacoids. .... They cleave parallel to the 
ortho-pinacoid distinctly. Examined in polarised light they exhibit depolarisation 
on rotating the Nicol’s prism, the colour changing from a light-yellow to a rich 
brownish-red. 
