Protoveratridine crystallises in colourless four-sided plates, which melt at 265°. It is almost insoluble in alcohol, chloroform, methyl alcohol, and acetone, and insoluble in benzene, light petroleum, and ether. Concentrated sulphuric acid gives a violet, then a cherry-red colour. Its solution in concentrated hydrochloric acid becomes light red on warming, and there is an odour of isobutyric acid. It is readily soluble in dilute mineral acids, and the solution, on the addition of ammonia, yields the alkaloid in a crystalline condition. The sulphuric acid solution gives precipitates with phosphotungstic, picric, and tannic acids, and with potassium mercury iodide; but gives no precipitate with platinum chloride, potassium-cadmium iodide, or with Millon’s reagent.
It forms a platinum salt, (C26H45NO8)2H2PtCl6 + 6H2O, which is precipitated in large six-sided plates on adding alcohol to a mixed solution of platinum chloride and a salt of the base.
Protoveratridine is not poisonous, and does not cause sneezing. Its solutions are very bitter.
§ 475. Rubi-jervine, C26H43NO2, is a crystallisable base wholly different from jervine, yet probably closely allied to it. It forms a light yellow, indistinctly crystalline gold salt (C26H43NO2,HCl,AuCl3): it gives a different play of colours from jervine with sulphuric acid. The concentrated acid dissolves rubi-jervine to a clear yellow fluid, becoming successively dark yellow, brownish yellow, and brownish blood-red, changing after several hours to a brownish purple. On diluting slightly with water the brownish-red liquid, it becomes successively crimson, purple, dark lavender, dark violet, and ultimately light indigo. Its hydrochloride and sulphate are both more soluble than either of the corresponding salts of jervine or pseudo-jervine.
§ 476. Veratralbine, C28H43NO5, an amorphous non-sternutatory base, gives, when a speck of the substance is dissolved in sulphuric acid, a play of colours, becoming successively yellow, dark yellow, brownish orange, and brownish blood-red, with a strong green fluorescence. It yields no acid on saponification.
§ 477. Veratroidine, C32H53NO9, is another base which has been separated by C. Pehkschen.[528] Its melting point is 149°. One part dissolves in 13 of benzene, 59 of chloroform, and 9 of ether. It yields amorphous salts with the mineral acids, and with oxalic and acetic acids. It is precipitated by most of the group reagents. With 11 per cent. solution of hydrochloric acid it gives a beautiful rose colour.
[528] Op. cit.