Am-iec.r,*j89oarm"}  Composition  of  Digitonin.  625 
crystallizes  from  absolute  alcohol  in  yellow  prisms  melting  at  I52°- 
Ethereal  salts  of  benzoyldextroecgonine  are  formed  by  the  action  of 
benzoic  chloride  on  the  above  ethereal  salts.  Ethylbenzoyldextro- 
ecgonine,  C5H7NMe-CH(OBz)-CH2-COOEt,  crystallizes  from  ether  in 
white  prisms  melting  at  about  570.  The  hydrochloride  is  deposited 
from  hot  water  or  absolute  alcohol  in  transparent  triangular  leaves 
melting  at  2 1 5  °.  Propylbenzoyldextroecgonine  hydrochloride  crystal- 
lizes from  water  or  alcohol  in  white  prisms  melting  at  2200.  The 
hydrochlorides  of  the  corresponding  isobutyl  and  amyl  compounds 
crystallize  in  interlaced  needles  melting  at  20 1°  and  2170  respec- 
tively. Amylbenzoyldextroecgonine  hydrobromide  is  comparatively 
insoluble  in  water,  and  crystallizes  in  white  leaves.  The  above  salts 
are  all  dextro-rotatory,  and  have  a  physiological  action  similar  to 
that  of  cocaine.  The  authors  have  prepared  a  fresh  specimen  of 
dextroecgonine,  from  methyldextroecgonine ;  on  recrystallization 
from  methyl  alcohol  it  melts  at  2570,  instead  of  2540,  as  previously 
given ;  Liebermann  and  Giesel  found  2640  as  the  melting  point  of 
their  "  methylecgonine." 
COMPOSITION  OF  DIGITONIN.1 
By  H.  Kiliani. 
According  to  Schmiedeberg,  commercial  digitalin  contains,  in 
addition  to  digitoxin,  its  most  important  pharmacological  constitu- 
ent, three  glucosides,  namely,  digitonin,  digitalin  and  digitalei'n,  the 
first  in  greater  amount,  and  when  heated  with  dilute  acid,  it  yields 
a  substance  which  reduces  Fehling's  solution,  and  also  a  crystalline 
compound  insoluble  in  water,  which  he  named  digitogenin.  The 
author  dissolved  1  part  of  commercial  digitalin  in  10  parts  of  water, 
added  I  part  of  concentrated  hydrochloric  acid  (sp.  gr.  1-19), 
and  heated  the  mixture  for  six  hours  on  the  water-bath.  By  this 
means,  a  solution  and  a  light-gray  precipitate  were  obtained.  The 
solution  contained  about  equal  quantities  of  two  glucoses,  which  were 
identified  by  means  of  the  melting  points  of  their  osazonesand  their 
behavior  when  oxidized,  as  galactose  and  dextrose,  respectively. 
The  precipitate  of  digitogenin  was  crystallized  from  alcohol,  and 
found  to  be  rather  more  than  equal  in  amount  to  either  of  the  two 
glucoses.    It  has  the  constitution  (C5H80)^,  probably  C15H2i03. 
1  Ber.  23,  1555-1560.    Reprinted  from  Jour  Chem.  Soc,  Sept.,  1890,  p.  996. 
