The Chemistry of Anti-Pernicious Anæmia Factors: Part I: The Liberation of Phosphorus as Phosthate From Vitamin B12 by Acid Hydrolysis

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions Phosphate is found in acid hydrolysates of vitamin B12. Such hydrolysates are deeply coloured and, in order to determine phosphate in them colorimetrically, it has been necessary to develop a new application of the unidimensional paper-strip partition chromatogram technique. The atomic ratio of cobalt: phosphorus in vitamin B12 is found to be 1:1. From a comparison of this result (3 above) with the values recorded by Smith for the anti-pernicious anæmia factor of Smith and Parker6, it is concluded that the latter compound is not identical with vitamin B12.