THE CHEMISTRY OF THE "AMINOCHROMES": PART I. THE PREPARATION AND PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY OF PURE ADRENOCHROME

The preparation of adrenochrome in a pure stable crystalline form has been carried out by the silver oxide oxidation of adrenaline in methanol with the use of an anion-exchange resin (Dowex-1(Cl − )) to remove heavy metal ions from the reaction mixture prior to the isolation of the product. Its paper chromatographic behavior together with that of three derivatives (adrenolutin, adrenochrome monosemicarbazone, and adrenochrome monoisonicotinic acid hydrazide) in six different solvent systems has been examined. Water was found to be the best paper chromatographic solvent so far examined for this series of compounds.