Shikimic Acid in Grass

Abstract

IN a paper describing, inter alia, the isolation of quinic acid from grass¹, it was suggested that one of the acids (termed ‘acid B’) present in the grass extracts might be shikimic acid or a closely allied acid. Acid B appeared to be identical with ‘acid G’ found by Davies and Hughes² in grass and stated by them to be a monobasic acid of relatively high molecular weight. At the time, only a few milligrams of acid B was available in solution, and comparison by paper chromatography with authentic shikimic acid showed that the two acids had the same R _F in butanol – formic acid – water, but in benzyl alcohol – tert-butanol – iso-propanol – formic acid – water and propanol – ammonia – water the mixed acids gave two spots of closely similar R _F value.