Action of Chromic Acid on Volatile Oils. 1 7 



calls it benzol. A similar substance obtained by Gerhardt and 

 Cahours from cinnamicacid, C 16 H 16 , is called cinnamen, that 

 from cuminic acid, cumen. Simoux and Marchand call cin- 

 namen cinnamomin. Cahours calls the above substance anisol, 

 it being prepared exactly like benzol (benzin). — H. C] 



Anisonitric acid is formed by boiling the anise oil with strong 

 nitric acid until the oily substance first produced is redis- 

 solved. The acid solution is precipitated by water and the 

 substance well washed, dissolved in ammonia and its salt cry- 

 stallized several times, out of it the pure acid may be obtained. 

 It is yellowish white, not very soluble even in warm water, 

 and crystallizes out of its hot solution in small acicular crystals, 

 tolerably soluble in alcohol. Forms insoluble salts with lead 

 and silver. It cannot be sublimed unchanged. Formula for 

 the free acid C 16 H 12 N 2 O 10 ; one atom of water is driven out 

 when it is combined with oxide of silver, the formula of that 

 salt being C 16 H 10 N 2 9 , Ag O (the crystallized aether of this 

 acid has been noticed by Mitscherlich). By the action of 

 fuming nitric acid on the solid anise oil a resinous substance is 

 obtained, nitranisid; its probable formula is C 20 H 20 N 4 O 10 (?). 

 Treated with caustic alkalies it evolves ammonia and is con- 

 verted into melasinic acid. Oil of bitter fennel (fenonilamer) 

 appears to consist of two oils, one solid having the same com/- 

 position as that of anise-oil, and a volatile one having the same 

 constitution as the oil of lemon and turpentine. 



If a stream of binoxide of nitrogen be passed into this latter 

 oil, it becomes thick and opake,and alcohol of 0*80 causes a 

 white silky precipitate which must be washed with alcohol. By 

 a gentle heat this substance becomes yellow and is easily de- 

 composed. Somewhat soluble in absolute alcohol, more so in 

 aether, soluble in concentrated solution of alkali, and is preci- 

 pitated again by acids. Formula C 15 H 24 N 4 O 4 . — {Annales de 

 Chem. ft de Phys., Juillet 1841, p. 274.) 



Action of Chromic Acid on several Volatile Oils. 



Persoz has examined the products obtained by treating 

 aethereal oils with a mixture of bichromate of potash, sul- 

 phuric acid and water. From the oils of anise, star-anise 

 (anise etoilee) and fennel, acetic acid and an insoluble pro- 

 duct consisting of two acids, were produced. These acids 

 Persoz calls Umbellic and Badianic acids. The umbellic acid 

 is little soluble in cold water, more in hot, soluble in alcohol, 

 very little in aether; and can thus be separated from badianic 

 acid ; with concentrated nitric acid it forms an acid similar to 

 the cinnamonitric. In its salts it resembles the benzoates. It 

 melts at 1 75° or 1 80° C, boils at 275° to 280°. [This umbellic 



Phil. Mag. S. 3. Vol. 21. No. 135. July 1842. C 



