104 Schunck. — The Chemistry of Chlorophyll. 
the attempts to reproduce the latter by the direct action 
of hydrochloric acid on an alcoholic solution of phyllotaonin 
failed. In order to explain its formation in the first instance 
we may suppose that by the action of alkalis chlorophyll 
is first converted into a substance — of which Hansen’s chloro- 
phyll-green is perhaps the sodium compound — which by 
decomposition with acids yields phyllotaonin, and this in 
the nascent state and in contact with alcohol and acid under- 
goes etherification. The purest specimen of the ethyl ether 
which I was able to obtain was found to contain in 100 parts 
Carbon 
66-49 
Hydrogen 
. . . 6-58 
Nitrogen 
3*33 
Oxygen 
. 23-61 
To calculate a formula corresponding with these numbers 
would be premature ; the small percentage of nitrogen — ■ 
striking as compared with the amounts obtained in previous 
analyses of chlorophyll-derivatives — would render any such 
calculation uncertain. 
There are few natural colouring matters or derivatives of 
the same, which, so far as my experience goes, surpass phyllo- 
taonin and its compounds with regard to beauty and brilliancy 
of appearance combined with absorption-spectra of singular 
elegance to which no mere figures can do adequate justice. 
Action of Aniline on Chlorophyll. 
I was at first inclined to head this paragraph — action of 
aniline on green leaves. I have, however, arrived at the 
conclusion that the peculiar reaction which I am about to 
describe is due to chlorophyll, and not to any other consti- 
tuent of leaves, though from its not taking place to the same 
extent with chlorophyll after removal of the colouring matter 
from the plant, I was at first inclined to believe that it 
might be due to some substance other than chlorophyll. The 
reaction is a very singular one, and may perhaps suggest new 
ideas regarding the nature and constitution of chlorophyll. 
