DR. C. A. MAO MUNN ON ENTEROCHLOROPHYLL, AND ALLIED PIGMENTS. 247 
chlorophyll are separated from each other, and these Hansen calls “ chlorophyll 
yellow ” and “ chlorophyll green.” The former goes into the petroleum-ether, from which 
it can be obtained in the form of yellow needles on evaporation, or on dissolving the 
residue in alcohol and evaporating. The latter is obtained purer by extracting the 
residue obtained by evaporation of the alcohol-ether solution, with alcohol holding ether, 
whereby salt and other impurities remain behind. According to Hansen “ chlorophyll 
yellow” is a lipochrome,* since it gives the reactions of these pigments with nitric 
and sulphuric acid and iodine, and the spectrum consists of three bands in the blue 
half of the spectrum. 
“ Chlorophyll green ” in alcohol and ether possesses four bands in the red half of the 
spectrum, one between B and C, covering C in one edge, one between C and D nearer 
D, one just after D, and the last between D and E nearer E, while the blue half of the 
spectrum is absorbed from before F onwards to the violet end. It crystallises in 
sphere-crystals out of the ethereal solution, showing a black cross with polarised 
light. 
Hansen maintains that by this treatment the originally existing chlorophyll green 
is not decomposed.t But I cannot quite agree with this statement. I tind the 
spectrum of “chlorophyll green” after saponification and when dissolved in ether- 
alcohol solution not quite the same as before saponification; it is quite different. 
I now proceed to describe the results of my own experiments. I shall first describe 
the saponification of vegetable chlorophyll. 
Experiments on the Saponification of Vegetable Chlorophyll. 
I have not attempted in all these cases to follow up the purification of the pigments 
so as to obtain them crystallised, my object being to determine the spectra of the 
various solutions and compare them with solutions of animal chlorophyll. In some 
however I saw both sphere-crystals and needles, and can verify the accuracy of 
Hansen’s descriptions. I will select two sets of experiments to illustrate what I 
have got to prove, as J find the appearances in most cases coincide with those to be 
described. 
On extracting the green leaves of Primula with absolute alcohol after crushing 
them in this solvent, a green solution with a blood-red fluorescence is obtained in 
* Prof. Sachs told Dr. Hansen that Millardet had observed similar crystals. Hansen, loc. cit . 
Hartsen, Chem. Central-Blatt, 1872, S. 525, 1875, S. 613, also obtained a yellow crystalline body from 
Chlorophyll. He also “saponified” chlorophyll. ‘ Nene Chemische Untersuchungen,’ Nordhausen, 1875. 
t This statement is in contradiction to the statements of such experienced investigators as 
Professors Stokes, Sorby, and others. It has been long known that even the small amount of acid in 
some leaves will decompose chlorophyll, and such violent treatment as boiling with caustic soda must 
certainly change it, as is the case. ( Cf ’. also Russell and Lapraik, Journ. Chem. Soc., vol. 41, p. 338, 
and Sachsse ‘ Die Chemie und Physiologie der Farbstoffe, Kohlehydrate nnd Proteinsubtanzen,’ 1877.) 
