1. Converse Memorial Laboratory, Harvard University. Jan. 31.

Abstract

BERGEL et al.¹ found that the product of the action of ethanolic hydrogen chloride on patulin gave on hydrolysis a crystalline chloro-acid, C₇H₇O₄Cl, now called Chlorodesoxypatulinic acid. Afterwards, Plattner et al.² observed that the same acid was readily produced by the action of hydrogen chloride on patulin in moist ethereal solution. The expression (I) was originally deduced¹ for Chlorodesoxypatulinic acid from its relationship to patulin, for which the structure (II) was assumed³. Recent developments in this Laboratory and in that of Plattner necessitated the abandonment of these views, and led the Swiss group² to formulate Chlorodesoxypatulinic acid as (III), which was consonant with either of two new structures, (IV)⁴ and (V)², put forward for patulin in Cambridge and in Zurich, respectively. We have now accumulated new evidence which requires that (III) in its turn be rejected, and which leads to a new view of the structure of chlorodesoxypatulinic acid which is consistent only with the structure (IV) for patulin.