and some of the products of its decomposition. 117 



differ exceedingly from each otiier. Simon and Marchand 

 prepared this substance by distilhng cinnamic acid and cau- 

 stic hme. Herzog* followed the same course ; he obtained a 

 yellowish fluid, which on rectifying gave a light colourless 

 oil, whilst a yellowish-brown, heavy liquid remained in the 

 retort. Cinnamole (named by Marchand and Simon cinna*- 

 momine) which has been prepared in this way boils at 89° C« 

 and has a specific gravity of 088. 



According to Mitscherlichf no product can be obtained in 

 this way possessing a constant boiling-point. He considers 

 the liquid which distils over on rectification as a mixture of 

 different carbo-hydrogens of similar composition, and sus- 

 pects that it contains benzole. 



Finally, Gerhardt and CahoursJ have stated that a mixture 

 of 1 part cinnamic acid and 4 parts baryta, when distilled, 

 g^ve a product having a constant boiling-point. 



The formula Cjg Hg was controlled by a determination of 

 the specific gravity of th^ vapour, and- by the^ analysis of a 



bromine compound. ,t f) ,'Cv,f.,r,^ryorr»riin<fr'f rH 



The properties described by the last two chemists as be- 

 longing to cinnamole (cinnamene), correspond completely 

 with those of styrole. Cinnamole boils, according to Gerhardt 

 and Cahours, at 140° C. It forms with chlorine a fluid, and 

 with bromine a crystalline compound, the latter having the 

 formula Cjg Hg Br^. With nitric acid it gives rise to a pro- 

 duct which appears to be benzoic acid. In one point, how- 

 ever, they differ. Cinnamole does not possess the property 

 of forming by heat an isomeric solid compound. Gerhardt 

 and Cahours do not mention in their memoir anything of this 

 phaenomenon, which, if it existed, could not have escaped their 

 observation in the determination of the specific gravity of the 

 vapour. This determination could not in reality have been 

 made at the temperature mentioned. Styrole was exposed for 

 three or four hours in an oil-bath to a temperature of 182° C. 

 (the same temperature by which Gerhardt and Cahours made 

 the determination of the specific gravity of the vapour), with- 

 out, however, being altogether volatilized. There remained 

 constantly a considerable portion of metastyrole behind. \ 

 To obtain accurate results on this point, w^e prepared cin- 

 namole by means of lime and baryta. With respect to the 

 action of the lime, we obtained the same results as Mitscher- 

 Jich. The distilled product is a mixture of different bodies. 



* Arch, der Pharm., 2 ser. vol. xx. p. 167- 



f Monatsbericht der Ser. Acad. u. Lehrb. 4th edit. vol. i. p. 179. 

 j y//m. de Chim. et de Phys., 3rd ser. vol, i. p. 60, and Ann. der Chem. u. 

 Pharm. vol. xxxviii, p. 96. 



