In a previous paper
(1) K. Kawakami and the present author
(2) have reported that they have prepared crystalline compounds of fatty acid or benzoic esters of vitamin A by condensing them with maleic anhydride, but these crystals had no physiological activity and could not be regenerated into vitamin A.
The present author has now succeeded in preparing a crystalline ester of vitamin A by treating vitamin A concentrate (Biosterin) with β-naphthoyl chloride in presence of pyridine and proved to have the activity of 7200 C. L. O. units after Carr-Price test. It readily promotes the growth of albino rats and cures, the; xerophthalmia. Dr. S. Kato in our institute has observed that a 1/140, 000 mol methyl alcoholic solution of the crystals show absorption bands at 3595, 3385, 3060, 2920, 2816 Å besides the maximum at 3225 Å.
The crystals have the formula C
31H
36O
2, mp 76°, it is easily hydrolysed by alcoholic potash into β-naphthoic acid, C
11H
8O
2, and pure vitamin A, the analysis of which agrees with the formula proposed by P. Karrer, i. e., C
20H
30O. Thus it has been definitely proved that the crystals are the ester of β-naphthoic acid and vitamin A.
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