198  On  the  Veratrum  Alkaloids.         { AmA^iSiarm" 
veratralbine.  The  yield,  however,  was  so  small  as  to  prevent  further 
investigation  at  the  time. 
The  ether-soluble  alkaloid  (mixture  of  veratroidine  and  jervine) 
was  dissolved  in  absolute  alcohol,  acidified  with  a  slight  excess  of 
HC1  and  the  jervine  hydrochlorate  allowed  to  crystallize  out ;  the 
mother-liquor  was  diluted  with  water,  agitated  with  ether,  until  the 
ether  was  free  from  color,  the  aqueous  solution  rendered  alkaline 
with  sodium  bicarbonate  and  again  agitated  with  ether  until  all  of 
the  alkaloid  was  removed.  The  residue  from  this  ethereal  solution 
(veratroidine)  was  a  pale  yellow  amorphous  mass,  yielding  a  color- 
less powder ,  the  yield  was  0  06  per  cent,  of  the  rhizome  taken. 
Veratroidine  (dried  at  580  C;  at  higher  temperatures,  75-/8°,  it 
already  becomes  dark  colored)  has  the  formula  C32H53N09  (deter- 
mined by  ultimate  analysis,  analysis  of  its  gold  and  platinum  salts, 
by  a  determination  of  the  molecular  weight  by  Raoult  van't  Hoff's 
method,  and  by  neutralization  with  HC1  and  H2SOJ.  It  is  soluble 
in  absolute  alcohol  in  almost  any  proportion,  easily  soluble  in  acetic 
ether,  amyl  alcohol  and  carbon  disulphide,  in  10-5  parts  80  percent, 
alcohol,  91  parts  absolute  ether,  5-9  parts  chloroform,  13  parts 
benzol  and  790-2  parts  petroleum  ether ;  from  none  of  these 
solvents  could  it  be  obtained  crystallized.  It  melts  at  149-2°  C,  and 
is  optically  inactive.  The  sulphate  has  the  formula  (C32H53N09)2 
H.,S04  and  the  hydrochlorate  C32H53N09HC1 ;  none  of  its  salts 
could  be  obtained  in  crystals.  Color  reactions  with  concentrated 
acids :  H2S04  first  yellow,  passing  through  orange  to  cherry-red, 
the  solution  having  a  green  fluorescence;  HN03  momentarily  a  red 
color,  afterwards  lemon  yellow ;  HC1  pale  red,  on  moderate  warm- 
ing decolorization,  but  upon  boiling  for  a  few  minutes,  a  permanent 
cherry-red  (one  year's  standing  did  not  change  the  color). 
Froehde's  reagent  yellow,  afterwards  dirty  brown.  Vanado-sul- 
phuric  acid  yellow,  violet,  finally,  cherry  red.  Seleno-sulphuric 
acid,  red.  Dilute  HC1  produces  a  beautiful  red  color,  best  results 
attainable  with  an  1 1  per  cent.  acid.  Differences  between  veratrine 
and  veratroidine  :  (1)  With  concentrated  H2S04  veratrine  produces 
a  yellow  color,  changing  on  addition  of  bromine  water  to  a  beautiful 
purple ;  with  veratroidine,  a  brownish  yellow  color ;  (2)  Veratrine 
evaporated  upon  a  water-bath  with  fuming  nitric  acid  leaves  a  yellow 
residue  changing  to  violet  or  red  on  addition  of  alcoholic  KOH  ; 
veratroidine  forms  a  dark  yellow  solution  ;  (3)  The  veratrine  reaction : 
