The constituents of the flowers of Matricaria chamomilla / by Frederick Belding Power and Henry Browning, Jun.

  • Power, Frederick B. (Frederick Belding), 1853-1927
Date:
1914.]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The constituents of the flowers of Matricaria chamomilla / by Frederick Belding Power and Henry Browning, Jun. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ester, and the product distilled in a current of steam, the volatile and non-volatile portions being then treated for their separation into phenolic and non-phenolic esters. The volatile phenolic ester jmssessed the odour of methyl salicylate, and, after hydrolysis, yielded O'04 gram of an acid, which crystallised in fine, colourless needles, melting at 150—151°. This acid gave a violet coloration with ferric chloride, and as no depression of the melting point ensued when mixed with salicylic acid, there was no doubt of its identity with the latter substance. The volatile, non-phenolic ester yielded on hydrolysis a small amount of acid, which was fractionally precipitated in the form of its silver salts. The latter, on ignition, gave, respectively, 44'6, 43'7, and 43'8 Ag, the first fraction of salt having undergone slight reduction. C8HI502Ag requires Ag = 43'0 per cent. It therefore seems prob¬ able that the volatile, non-phenolic acid consisted chiefly of an octoic acid. The portion of the esterified product which was not volatile in steam yielded nothing definite. Isolation of Ajrigenm, C15H10O5. The above-mentioned sodium carbonate extract of the ethereal liquid was acidified, when a pale yellow substance, mixed with some tarry material, was deposited. This j^recipitate was collected, washed with water, and dried, when it amounted to 17'3 grams. After several separations from a mixture of alcohol and ethyl acetate, the substance was obtained as a pale yellow jmwder, melt¬ ing at 344—347°. (Found, C = 66'0; II = 39. C15H]0Ch requires C = 66'7; H = 3-7 per cent.) The substance was evidently apigenin, and its identity was further confirmed by the preparation of its acetyl (m. p. 176—178°) and benzoyl (m. p. 208°) derivatives. The aqueous, acid liquid from which the crude apigenin had been separated, as above described, was extracted many times with ether. This removed about 0*4 gram of a substance, which, after several crystallisations from dilute alcohol, was obtained in fine, colourless needles, melting at 237—239°. On heating the sub¬ stance it sublimed, and developed a coumarin-like odour. Its solution in concentrated sulphuric acid showed a strong blue fluorescence, and with ferric chloride a distinct green colour was produced. The aqueous solution of the substance possessed a slight blue fluorescence, which was not perceptible on the addition of alkali, owing to the production of a deep yellow colour. The above-described characters of the substance rendered it probable that it consisted of a mixture of umbelliferone (m. p. 225°) with