249 
looked upon as characteristic of phyllotaonine. According to our 
latest*) researches this spectrum is due to a mixture of phyllotaonine 
and allophyllotaonine. If instead of the baryum compound of alka- 
chlorophyll the potassium salt prepared at ordinary temperature is 
used, the reaction with hydrochloric acid takes place on analogous 
lines but the allophyllotaonine is the chief product of reaction. 
Alkachlorophyll prepared at elevated temperatures yields also allo¬ 
phyllotaonine but the reaction is more complicated, a considerable 
amount of byproducts being formed. 
The preparation of the potassium salt of alkachlorophyll was 
carried out as follows: a double alcoholic extract (96°/ 0 alcohol) of 
nettle leaves was treated with such an amount of potassium hyd¬ 
rate that a 2°/ 0 solution resulted. After some time there was de¬ 
posited a brown substance, soluble in water, already often described 
by chlorophyll investigators. From this sediment the green solution 
has been poured off and treated for a short time with a current of 
carbon dioxide. This caused the precipitation of a large amount of 
the potassium salt of alkachlorophyll in the form of a dark green 
powder. After filtering the filtrate was treated with calcium chloride 
or baryum chloride and in this manner the remainder of the green 
colouring matter obtained in the form of a baryum or calcium 
compound. 
30 gr. of the potassium salt which contained a small amount 
of potassium carbonate were introduced by degrees into 350 cm 3 
of hydrochloric acid of 1T9 spec, gravity. The dark green solution 
was left at ordinary temperature for two days and then poured 
into a large amount of water. The whole was next neutralized with 
sodium carbonate, care being taken that the temperature of the 
liquid did not rise above 25°. The sediment produced was then 
filtered off, thoroughly washed with water and finally dried at 
100°. The product dissolved easily in chloroform, not so readily 
in ether, showing the spectrum of allophyllotaonine. We converted 
it into phyllotaonine by dissolving in boiling 1 / 2 °/ 0 sodiumhydrate 
solution, cooled the liquid to ordinary temperature, acidulated with 
acetic acid and extracted the colouring matter with ether. The fil¬ 
tered ethereal solution was next extracted with a 6°/ 0 hydrochloric 
acid which dissolved the phyllotaonine, leaving brown impurities 
i) 1. c. 
1 * 
