146 
Processes  for  Testing  Quinine. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I      March,  1889. 
permanganate,  isobutyric  acid  and  oxalic  acid  are  obtained.  The  same 
products  are  formed  when  nitric  acid  of  sp.  gr.  1*48  is  employed. 
When  the  acid  is  treated  with  zinc-dust  in  alkaline  solution,  it  is  con- 
verted into  an  acid,  the  composition  of  which  is  probably  C^H^O^ 
and  at  the  same  time  a  small  quantity  of  isobutyric  acid  is  formed. 
When  treated  with  sodium  in  amyl  alcohol  solution,  it  yields  butyric 
acid  and  resinous  products. 
The  compound  C^H^O^  referred  to  above,  separates  from  ether  or 
amyl  alcohol  as  an  amorphous,  red  powder,  and  has  no  well-defined 
melting  point.  It  is  soluble  in  most  ordinary  solvents,  has  an  acid 
reaction,  decomposes  carbonates,  and  dissolves  in  alkalis,  forming  red 
solutions,  from  which  it  is  precipitated  in  red  flocks  on  adding  acids. 
It  yields  phthalic  acid  and  small  quantities  of  oxalic  acid  when 
oxidized  with  nitric  acid  of  sp.  gr.  1*40  in  the  cold.  When  reduced 
with  zinc-dust  in  alkaline  solution,  it  gives  a  colorless  substance 
which  rapidly  oxidizes,  and  is  probably  reconverted  into  the  original 
compound. 
From  the  above  results,  it  follows  that  filicic  acid  is  probably  an 
isobutyric  acid  derivative  of  hydroxynaphthaquinone. 
KECENT  PKOCESSES  FOE  TESTING  QUININE.1 
By  W.  Lenz. 
The  foreign  alkaloids  in  commercial  quinine  consist  chiefly  of  cin- 
chonidine  and  hydro-bases.  Four  principal  methods  are  in  use  for 
the  determination  of  these.  In  all  these  methods  a  product  ("  Neben- 
alkaloide  ")  is  obtained,  containing  the  greater  part  of  the  impuri- 
ties together  with  a  certain  quantity  of  quinine.  In  this  product,  the 
cinchonidine  is  determined  by  the  "  tetrasulphate  process."  One 
gram  of  the  mixture  is  dissolved  in  9  grams  of  absolute  alcohol  and 
3  grams  of  50  per  cent,  sulphuric  acid.  The  mixture  is  kept  at  0° 
for  24  hours,  the  acid  liquid  is  removed  by  suction,  the  crystals  are 
washed  with  a  little  absolute  alcohol,  and  then  air-dried.  They  are 
then  dissolved  in  water,  and  the  base  is  precipitated  by  excess  of  so- 
dium carbonate.  It  is  dried  first  over  sulphuric  acid,  and  then  at  115°. 
A  correction  (the  amount  of  which  depends  on  the  per  centage  of  cin- 
1  Zeit.  anal  Chem.,  xxvii.,  549 — 631  ;  reprinted  from  Jour.  Chem,  Soc>  1889, 
p.  86.  See  also  paper  on  the  same  subject  by  Dr.  O,  Hesse,  in  Am.  Jour.  Phae,, 
1887,  p.  404. 
