AmA£5^9i3arm'}      Constituents  of  Taraxacum  Root.  183 
A  very  small  portion  of  homotaraxasterol  was  converted  into  its 
benzoyl  derivative,  which  separated  from  a  mixture  of  chloroform 
and  alcohol  in  small,  flat  needles,  melting  at  202  °.  The  amount  of 
this  compound  was  not  sufficient  for  analysis. 
Ether  Extract  of  the  Resin. 
This  extract  was  considerably  concentrated  in  volume  and  kept 
for  some  time,  when  a  small  amount  of  a  sparingly  soluble  grey 
substance  was  deposited.  This  was  collected,  and  the  clear,  etheral 
liquid  then  extracted  successively  with  aqueous  ammonium  carbon- 
ate and  sodium  carbonate,  which,  however,  removed  only  traces  of 
brown,  amorphous  material.  The  ethereal  liquid  was  finally 
extracted  with  aqueous  potassium  hydroxide,  and  the  alkaline 
liquid  acidified  and  extracted  with  ether,  which  removed  some 
amorphous  material,  and  at  the  same  time  an  emulsion  was  formed. 
This  was  separated,  washed  with  a  little  ether,  and  the  latter 
removed  by  a  current  of  air,  when,  on  filtration,  a  further  small 
amount  of  the  above-mentioned  grey  substance  was  obtained.  The 
ethereal  liquid  which  had  been  extracted  with  alkalis  when  dried 
and  evaporated,  also  yielded  a  little  of  the  same  sparingly  soluble 
grey  substance. 
Isolation  of  Cluytianol,  C29H460(OH)4. 
The  above-described  grey  substance  was  first  subjected  to  pro- 
longed extraction  with  absolute  alcohol  in  a  Soxhlet  apparatus. 
During  this  operation  it  was  partly  deposited  in  a  nearly  white 
condition,  and,  on  finally  concentrating  the  alcoholic  liquid,  prac- 
tically all  the  substance  separated.  The  material  thus  obtained 
amounted  to  4.1  grams.  It  was  subsequently  heated  with  acetic 
anhydride,  and  the  resulting  product  fractionally  crystallised  many 
times  from  alcohol,  when  an  acetyl  derivative  was  obtained,  which 
separated  in  colorless,  flat  needles,  melting  at  161  °. 
A  portion  of  the  acetyl  derivative  was  hydrolysed  by  boiling 
with  an  alcoholic  solution  of  potassium  hydroxide.  The  product, 
after  crystallisation  from  dilute  pyridine,  separated  in  minute, 
colorless  crystals,  melting  and  decomposing  at  2970  : 
0.0826  gave  0.2197  COo  and  0.0790  H20.   C  =  72.5  ;  H  —  10.6. 
C29H50O5  requires  C  =■  72.8 ;  H=  10.5  per  cent. 
