Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
March,  1889.  J 
Aspidium  Filix  Mas,  L. 
145 
above  300°  (at  200  mm.  pressure)  corresponds  with  the  formula 
(C34H5802)w .  • 
By  precipitating  the  alkaline  solution  extracted  with  ether  with 
sulphuric  acid,  two  resins  were  obtained :  1st,  a  brick-red  solid 
melting  at  85 — 93°  ;  2nd,  a  more  abundant  and  almost  black,  plastic 
mass.    The  nitrate  contains  butyric  acid. 
Filicic  acid,  prepared  by  the  method  already  described,  has  the 
composition  C14H1605.  It  is  a  yellowish,  odorless,  crystalline  powder, 
melts  at  179 — 180°  (uncorr.),  and  is  insoluble  in  water,  almost  insol- 
uble in  absolute  alcohol,  moderately  soluble  in  glacial  acetic  acid, 
ether,  amyl  alcohol,  and  toluene,  and  readily  in  chloroform,  carbon 
bisulphide,  and  benzene.  The  benzoyl- derivative,  C2iH20O6,  separates 
from  dilute  alcohol  in  colorless  crystals,  melts  at  123°,  and  is  very 
readily  soluble  in  ether,  but  insoluble  in  water.  The  ethyl  salt, 
C16H20O5,  prepared  by  treating  the  acid  with  alcoholic  potash  and 
ethyl  iodide,  separates  from  dilute  alcohol  in  reddish  crystals,  melts  at 
142°,  and  is  very  readily  soluble  in  ether  and  benzene,  but  insoluble 
in  water.  The  propyl  salt  melting  at  158°,  and  the  ethylene  salt 
melting  at  165°,  resemble  the  ethyl  salt  in  appearance  and  insolu- 
bility. 
Bromofilicic  acid,  C14H15Br05,  prepared  by  treating  the  acid  with 
bromine  in  glacial  acetic  acid  solution,  chrystallizes  from  alcohol  in  red 
prisms,  melts  at  122°,  and  is  very  readily  soluble  in  absolute  alcohol 
and  ether,  but  insoluble  in  water. 
Anilidofilicic  acid,  C14H1504NHPh,  obtained  by  boiling  a  glacial 
acetic  acid  solution  of  the  acid  with  aniline,  separates  from  alcohol  in 
reddish- violet  crystals,  melts  at  140°,  and  is  soluble  in  alcohol  and 
benzene,  but  insoluble  in  water. 
.The  hydrazide,  CuH160*(N2HPh)4,  prepared  by  boiling  an  ethereal 
solution  of  the  acid  with  phenylhydrazine,  crystallizes  from  ether  in  red 
needles,  melts  at  198°,  and  is  readily  soluble  in  alcohol,  but  insoluble 
in  water.  When  the  acid  (100  parts)  is  heated  above  its  melting  point 
(compare  Luck,  Annalen,  liv.  119),  or  heated  with  water  at  170 — 190°, 
it  is  decomposed  into  isobutyric  acid  (32*5  parts)  and  a  compound,  the 
composition  of  which  is  C20H18O7.  Hydrochloric  acid  produces  the 
same  decomposition  at  150 — 160°. 
Filicic  acid  is  completely  oxidized  when  treated  with  chromic  acid 
in  glacial  acetic  acid  solution,  but  when  a  solution  of  the  potassium 
salt  is  oxidized  in  the  cold  with  a  two  per  cent,  solution  of  potassiu:u 
