Am.  Jour.  Pharra.l  ,  A  drpwali-il  C97 
November,  1901.  J  SlUTenciLiri.  }Z/ 
acids,  and  alkali  hydroxides,  forming  salts.  Ammonia  and  alkali 
carbonate  do  not  dissolve  adrenalin.  Adrenalin  solution  made 
alkaline  with  alkali  hydroxides  and  carbonates  as  well  as  alkaline 
earth  hydroxides,  readily  absorbs  oxygen  from  air,  its  rapidity  being 
exactly  proportionate  to  the  strength  of  alkalinity. 
The  following  are  some  of  the  characteristic  reactions :  Ferric 
chloride  colors  adrenalin  solution  emerald  green,  while  iodine  im- 
parts a  vivid  pink,  as  first  observed  by  Vulpian.  A  careful  addition 
of  caustic  alkali  to  the  green  solution  colored  by  ferric  chloride, 
gives  rise  to  the  various  shades  of  hue  ranging  from  purple  to  car- 
mine red,  which  is  destroyed  by  careful  neutralization  with  acids, 
restoring  its  original  color.  Oxydizing  agents  such  as  nitric  acid, 
potassium  bichromate  and  ferricyanide,  etc.,  behave  in  a  similar 
manner  as  iodine  does.  Gold  chloride  is  very  energetically  reduced 
by  adrenalin  and  a  complete  separation  of  the  metal  follows,  from 
acid  solution,  by  application  of  gentle  heat ;  resultant  liquid  is 
colored  pink  or  carmine  red  according  to  the  strength  of  the  solu- 
tion used,  as  is  the  case  with  different  oxydizing  agents. 
None  of  the  following  alkaloidal  reagents  produce  precipitation : 
Mercuro-potassium  iodide,  picric  acid,  tannic  acid,  phosphomolybdic 
acid,  phospho-tungstic  acid,  mercuric  chloride,  lead  acetate,  potas- 
sium bichromate  and  platinum  chloride. 
Analyses  of  Adrenalin  : — 
Combustions  of  adrenalin  had  been  made  in  my  laboratory  and 
the  following  results  were  obtained  : — 
I.                    IT.  III.  IV.  Average. 
C  59'54  59'33  59'40  59'28  59"38 
H  7-99  8-13  7-62  7*62  7-84 
N  .  .  .  .  .   8-401  8-13  774  776  7.88 
O   24.94 
100.00 
The  probable  empirical  formula  of  adrenalin,  calculated  out  of  the 
above  figures  as  basis,  is  C10H15NO3. 
IOO  parts  of  adrenalin  needs  nearly  19  parts  of  hydrochloric  acid 
in  forming  a  neutral  salt  and  this  substantiates  the  approximity  of 
correctness  of  the  formula,  for  100  parts  of  the  substance  requires, 
by  calculation,  exactly  18-5  parts  of  HC1. 
1  The  figure  of  N  under  No.  I,  was  roughly  estimated  by  the  Kjeldahl  method 
with  the  intention  of  having  an  approximate  amount  of  nitrogen  and  there- 
fore may  not  be  regarded  as  accurate. 
