EMICAL NEWS
222 {SH 16, 1877. !
eer BN
U1. Action of Anhydrous Organic Acids upon Anhydrous = 1 experienced great difliculty with this substance for a
Mineral Bases. fong time. Its almost neutral chemical properties, and
The author has caused anhydrous acetic, butyric, and the facility with which it decomposes into products of a
caproic acids to a& upon anhydrous oxides of calcium, dark brown colour, rendered it very unmanageable. At
barium, lead, and mercury, last I fell upon a reaction which seems to be lairly sensi-Action
 of Anhydrous Acetic Acid upon Anhydrous Lime. tive; it appears also to be very characteristic. The tol-—The
 base mixed with an excess of absolutely pure acid lowing is the test, and method of applying it:i—
is introduced into a green-glass tube: a thermometer as Piace the santonin in a small deep porcelain dish, and
plunged in the mixture, and the tube is then sealed over dissolve it (without heat) in concentrated sulphuric acid.
the lamp. It is then heated to 133° in a bath for four Rubbing the crystals down with a glass rod greatly facilihours.
 ‘The internal temperature of the tube rises to 141° tates solution. Add highly dilute solution of perchlonde
and remains there for about twenty minutes. ‘Lhe mase in small quantities at a time, and between each addition
increases in volume, and the lime is slacked in the anhy. give the dish a pretty quick rotatory motion while it is
drous acid. The produ, freed from excess of acid, and supported on a table. A line 1ed colour is first developed,
dissolved in water, crystallises like acetate of lime, anc which changes to a magnificent purple, and then to a
has its composition. Anhydrous acetic acid combines splendid violet as the sulphuric acid becomes more dilute.
dire@ly with anhydrous baryta at 100° Anhydrous he heat produced by mixing the fluids is necessary to
butyric and caproic acids combine directly with anhydrous lcvelope the colours.
lime at 120° The quantity of the salts obtained, as cal When applying the test to small quantities of santonin
culated from the weight of lime employed, is almost a somewhat dificrent method of proceeding must be
theoretic. Anhydrous acetic acid unites completely with adopted. The experiment in this case is best performed
perfectly dry oxides of lead and mercury. The salts in a r-inch shallow porcelain capsule, with a thick flat
obtained, which are almost theoretic in quantity, when bottom. Mix the highly dilhte solution of perchloride of
freed from excess of acid dissolve in water, and crystaliise iron with an equal bulk of concentrated sulphuric acid,
with their peculiar characters. In the experiment with and add the mixture to the santonin, Heat must then be
oxide of mercury the temperature of 105° must not be cautiously applied. The crystals of santonin will slowly
exceeded. In an instance where this was done the sub dissolve, and the colour will be developed.
stance was blackened, and the tube burst on being opened ‘The capsule is conveniently supported on the blade of
This fat will be considered on a future occasion. 2 spatula, and heated by a spirit-lamp.
. . . . One drop of a solution of 1 grain of santonin in 1 fluid
[11 Action of Anhydrous Mineral Acids upon Anhydrous  sypce of oh aroform was evaporate | to dryness in a small
Oxides of Organic Radicals. capsule, and the residue heated with a drop of the per.
The author has not experimented upon this particular chloride of iron and sulphuric acid mixture. A very fine
case, affirmative instances being already known, MDM. reaction was obtained.
Dumas and Pcligot obtained sulphate of methyl by the The separation of santonin, however, from other ordire@
 action of anhydrous sulphuric acid upon oxide ol ganic matters would in most cases be a very diftficult—
methyl. M, Wetherill produced sulphate of cthyl by passing and in many instances an impossible—~tling to accom.
the vapour of anhydrous sulphuric acid into anhydrous plish, owing to the facility with which it sufters decompo.
ether. sition, h
; . . In trying the experiment of scparating santonin, by
IV. Action of Anhydrous Organic Acids upon the Anhydrous means yy Blorolotm, from & powder containing rhubarb
Oxides of Organic Radicals. and santonin, 1 noticed a thing winch I have not scen
These combinations are obtained with difficulty, and mentioned before. The chloroform separated from the
the action of prolonged heat is required. M. Wurtz hae powder by filtration was evaporated to dryness, and the
combined dire@ly oxide of ethylen with anhydrous acctic  “esidue tested for santonin. The violet colour was obacid,
 obtaining ethylenic acctate and propyl-zthylenic tained very distinctly. I then tried the effzt of the test.
acetates. The author has combined directly anhydrous luid on the colouring-matter of rhubarb alone, as I
butyric and acetic acids with anhydrous oxide of ethyl. aoticed this is dissolved by chloroform. The test pro-The
 ethers obtained have the same characteis and the 1uced a reddish colour, not the violet or purple colour of
same boiling-point as those obtained by the ordinary 3antonin.
methods. Thinking that in the case of rhubarb the iron had
nothing to do with the reaction, 1 next tried the effet of
concentrated sulphuric acid alone on the colouring-matter
of rhubarb. I found it produced a beautiful scarlet colour:
this is much the same eifcct (as is very well known) produced
 by alkalics on the colouring-matter ; and when the
latter has been turncd red by an alkali an acid restores it
to yellow,
Falmouth, Jamaica,
Wdituber 6, 1877

To the powerful agency of sulphuric acid we are indebted
for many of the finest colour-tests in chemistry. I refer
to those tests employed for the identification of certain
organic substances, which are first dissolved in concen.
trated sulphuric acid, and other agents applied to them
afterwards.
I have lately endeavoured to discover tests for some
organic compounds for which at present very few or no
chara@eristic reactions are known. If the substance will
dissolve in sulphuric acid without charring, I always try
the effe@ of different agents on this solution. It was in
seeking a test for carbolic acid by this method that I met
with the readtion previously published, and which I have
proposed also as a test for nitric acid.
I have since been occupied with santonin. So far ag |
have been able to ascertain we possess no characteristic
teats for this substance. As it is extensively employed
put here, and I have no doubt in other places also, and as
large doses are said to produce symptoms of irritant poi
joning, a good test for it might prove acceptable.

PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

AKADEMIE DER WISSFNSCHAFTEN, VIENNA.
Luly, . <7.

G. Goroscumint, * Idryl." This body, found by Badeker
in Idna, is ascertained to consist of several hydrocarbons,
which are separated from cach other in the form of picrates.
 Besides chrysen, pyren, anthracen, phenanthren,
a new hydrocarbon, Cyst yo, was isolated, and receives the
same originally applied to the mixture.