Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
April,  1913.  / 
Constituents  of  -  Taraxacum  Root. 
i/7 
and  sodium  hydroxide.  The  clear,  alkaline  liquids  yielded,  on  acidi- 
fication, only  traces  of  fatty  material,  but  both  the  sodium  carbonate 
and  sodium  hydroxide  produced,  to  some  extent,  emulsions,  which 
were  separated,  and  the  ether  removed,  when  a  solid  product  was 
obtained.  This  consisted  of  the  sodium  salt  of  fatty  acids.  It  was 
suspended  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid  and  warmed  with  chloroform, 
which  removed  about  15  grams  of  fatty  acids.  The  latter  were 
converted  into  their  methyl  esters,  which  were  distilled  three  times 
under  diminished  pressure,  and  three  fractions  collected.  The  first 
two  fractions  consisted  of  methyl  palmitate,  melting  at  27 — 280. 
(Found,  C  -  75.0  ;  H  =12.7.  Calc,  C  =  75.5  ;  H  =  12.6  per  cent.) 
The  third  fraction,  which  distilled  at  206 — 2o8°/i5  mm.,  was  liquid 
and  unsaturated : 
0.2933  absorbed  0.3164  iodine.    Iodine  value  =  107.9. 
For  the  further  examination  of  this  fraction  it  was  converted  into 
a  lead  salt,  and  the  latter  treated  with  ether.  The  portion  insoluble 
in  ether,  when  decomposed  by  hydrochloric  acid,  yielded  1.5  grams 
of  a  solid  acid,  which  distilled  between  2300  and  235 0 /2y  mm.,  and, 
after  crystallisation,  melted  at  60 — 61  °.  It  was  identified  as 
palmitic  acid.  (Found.  C  =  75.o;  H  =  12.8.  Calc,  C  =  75.o; 
H  =  12.5  per  cent.)  The  portion  of  lead  salt  which  was  soluble  in 
ether,  when  decomposed  by  hydrochloric  acid,  yielded  7  grams  of 
liquid  acids,  which  distilled  between  2200  and  235°/i2  mm.: 
0.1134  gave  0.3200  CO,  and  0.1188  H20.    C  =■  76.9:  H  =  11.6. 
0.3898  absorbed  0.61 11  iodine.    Iodine  value  =156.8. 
These  results  indicate  that  the  liquid  acids  consisted  essentially 
of  a  mixture  of  oleic  and  linolic  acids,  the  latter  predominating. 
The  ethereal  liquid  which  had  been  shaken  with  aqeous  alkalis, 
as  above  described,  was  subsequently  evaporated,  and  the  residue 
heated  with  an  alcoholic  solution  of  potassium  hydroxide.  The 
alcohol  was  then  evaporated,  water  added,  and  the  alkaline  mixture 
extracted  with  ether,  when  a  quantity  of  unsaponifiable  material 
was  removed,  which  will  subsequently  be  described. 
Identification  of  the  Combined  Fatty  Acids. 
Isolation  of  Melissic  Acid,  C30H60O2. 
During  the  above-mentioned  extraction  of  the  alkaline  liquid 
with  ether,  a  slight  emulsion  was  formed.  This  was  thoroughly 
washed  with  ether,  then  freed  from  the  latter,  and  brought  on  a 
