106 Drs. Blyth and Hofmann on Styrokf 



14 equiv. Carbon . 

 6 ... Hydrogen 

 4 ... Oxygen . 



1 ... Benzoic acid =1525-00 100-00 100-00 



The transformation of sty role into benzoic acid is shown by 

 the following equation : — 



C,6 Hg + loO = C,4 H,. O4 + 2CO2 + 2HO. 



Styrole. Benzoic acid. 



This equation merely represents the ultimate products of 

 decomposition. It is, however, probable that an intermediate 

 product precedes the formation of the benzoic acid. We have 

 already mentioned a heavy oily liquid, which during the 

 action of nitric acid on styrole condenses in the receiver. It 

 contains, as stated, a large quantity of nitrostyrole : and also 

 another fluid body, which we are inclined to consider as oil 

 of bitter almonds. At least, at certain periods of distillation, 

 the products acquired the strongest odour of that oil. 



As the small quantity of the mixture we possessed excluded 

 the possibility of a separation by distillation, we thought it 

 might be possible to prove the presence of oil of bitter almonds 

 by the formation of benzoine. For this purpose the mixture 

 was treated, according to Zinin's method, with an alcoholic 

 solution of potash and some cyanide of potassium*. We have, 

 however, not been able to observe any crystals of benzoine, 

 consequently the settlement of this point must be reserved for 

 further investigation. The formation of oil of bitter almonds 

 under the circumstances already mentioned would beside not 

 have been very extraordinary. The investigations of Dumas 

 and Peligotf, which were confirmed by PlantamourJ and 

 Simon §, have shown that cinnamic acid, treated by oxidizing 

 means, produces hydruret of benzoyle before passing into ben- 

 zoic acid. According to very recent observations of Ca- 

 hoursll, oil of anise, before being finally changed into anisinic 

 acid, is first converted into hydruret of anisyle, which stands 

 in the same relation to the last acid as hydruret of benzoyle to 

 benzoic acid, 



Nitrohenzoic Acid. 



If strong nitric acid, such as the commercial, has been em- 

 ployed in distillation with styrole, there are obtained, by the 



* ylnn, der Chem. und Pharm. vol. xxxiv. p. 186. 



f Ibid. vol. xiv. p. 59. J Ibid. vol. xxx. p. 349. 



§ Ibid. vol. xxxi. p. 271. || Compt. Rend. p. xix. 795. 



