240 * Schunck.— The Chemistry 
and boiled for some time in order to saponify the fats con- 
tained in it. After distilling off a great part of the alcohol, 
carbonic acid is passed through the liquid so as to get all the 
soda carbonated ; the whole is then evaporated to dryness on 
the water-bath. A dark green mass, consisting of colouring- 
matters and soaps, is thus obtained, which is treated with 
ether ; this extracts the yellow colouring-matter which on 
evaporation of the solution is left as a coral-red mass. The 
residue left undissolved by the ether is now treated for several 
days with a mixture of equal parts of alcohol and ether, which 
removes a great part of the sodium-soaps along with some 
green colouring-matter. The residue is then treated with a 
mixture of one part of absolute alcohol with ten parts of ether, 
to which phosphoric acid is added until no more colour is 
taken up by the liquid. The solution is then filtered, the 
ether is distilled off, and the alcoholic liquid is evaporated, 
when it leaves a shining dark green brittle residue 1 . This the 
author considers to be the green colouring-matter of chloro- 
phyll in a state of purity. Its properties are as follows : — It 
is insoluble in water, benzol, and carbon disulphide, sparingly 
soluble in ether, but easily soluble in alcohol ; the solutions 
have a splendid green colour and show six absorption-bands ; 
the colour of the alcoholic solution gradually changes on the 
addition of acids, but much more slowly than that of an 
acidified alcoholic leaf-extract ; it has the character of an 
acid forming compounds with bases, those with alkalis being 
soluble in water ; its solutions show much greater stability 
when exposed to light than do alcoholic leaf-extracts ; it con- 
tains nitrogen and iron. 
I have obtained by a much simpler process a product which 
I consider to be identical with Hansen’s. A description of 
my process will be found in the paper previously referred to 2 . 
The product obtained by the action of caustic alkalis on chloro- 
1 I have described Hansen’s process at greater length than might have been 
thought necessary, thinking that the work containing his results might not be 
easily accessible to the readers of this journal. 
2 Roy. Soc. Proc. 1 . p. 312. 
