182  Constituents  of  Taraxacum  Root.  {A^AJXiraftrm" 
mother  liquors  from  these  fractions  were  evaporated  to  dryness,  the 
residues  hydrolysed,  and  then  treated  with  phthalic  anhydride,  both 
in  the  dry  state  and  with  the  admixture  of  a  little  pyridine  or 
xylene.  No  acid  phthalic  ester  could,  however,  be  isolated  by  this 
treatment. 
Isolation  of  a  New  Monohydric  Alcohol,  Homotaraxasterol, 
C2oH39.OH. 
The  above-mentioned  difficultly  crystallisable  fractions  of  acetyl- 
ated  material  were  united,  hydrolysed,  and  the  product  distilled 
under  diminished  pressure,  when  practically  the  whole  passed  over 
between  335 0  and  340V25  mm.  The  distillate,  which  was  con- 
taminated with  some  oily  material,  was  purified  by  dissolving  it  in 
petroleum  of  high  boiling  point,  and  treatment  with  animal  char- 
coal. A  product  was  thus  obtained,  which,  after  several  crystallisa- 
tions from  dilute  alcohol,  separated  in  small  needles  melting  con- 
stantly at  163 — 1640.  The  substance  did  not  undergo  any  appre- 
ciable loss  in  weight  on  drying  at  1200,  and  the  total  amount 
obtained  was  0.45  gram : 
0.0741  gave  0.2280  C02  and  0.0770  H20.    C  =  83.9;  H  =  1 1.5. 
C25H40O  requires  0  =  84.3;  H=  11.2  per  cent. 
The  composition  of  this  substance  clearly  indicated  it  to  be  a 
lower  homologue  of  the  above-described  taraxasterol,  and  it  yielded 
precisely  the  same  color  reaction  as  the  latter.  Being  also  a  new 
compound  it  is  proposed  to  designate  it  homotaraxasterol. 
A  determination  of  its  optical  rotary  power  gave  the  following 
result : 
0.0989,  made  up  to  20  c.c.  with  chloroform,  gave  aD+o°  15'  in  a 
2-dcm.  tube,  whence  [a]D+25-3°- 
Acetylhomotaraxasterol,  C25H39O.CO.CH3. — This  compound 
was  prepared  by  heating  the  respective  alcohol  with  acetic  anhydride. 
It  separated  from  a  mixture  of  ethyl  acetate  and  alcohol  in  small, 
colorless  needles,  melting  at  219 — 2200  : 
0.0654  gave  0.1943  C02  and  0.0645  H20.    C  =  81.0;  H  =  10.9. 
C27H4202  requires  0  =  81.4;  "H==  10.5  per  cent. 
0.0888,  made  up  to  20  c.c.  with  chloroform,  gave  a  d  +o°i5'  in  a 
2-dcm.  tube,  when  [a]D  +28-.1  °. 
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