16 Notices of the Labours of Continental Chemists. 



Bromide of anisal {BromanisaT). — Bromine acts violently on 

 the solid oil, hydrobromic acid is evolved ; on allowing the 

 fluid mass to stand for some time it partly solidifies ; small 

 portions of aether extract an oil which contains bromine, and 

 the solid substance may be purified by solution in boiling aether 

 and pressing between bibulous paper. It is colourless, forms 

 voluminous crystals, insoluble in water, somewhat soluble in 

 alcohol, and more so in aether. It is decomposed at a tempera- 

 ture above 100°. Formula is C 20 H 18 Br 6 ' O 2 . 



The action of chlorine is more complex ; according to the 

 length of time the chlorine has acted different products are 

 formed, none of which crystallize, and whose purity therefore 

 cannot be relied on. Once a substance was obtained with the 

 formula C 20 H 18 CI 6 ' O 2 . The next product is C 20 H 15 CP O 2 . 

 Both bodies are decomposed by distillation. 



Sulphuric and phosphoric acids and some anhydrous chlo- 

 rides, as those of tin and antimony, convert the solid oil into a 

 white crystalline substance, soluble in sulphuric acid with a 

 red colour ; it has exactly the same composition as the solid 

 oil, viz. C 20 H 24 O 2 ; Cahours calls it Anisoin. 



By the action of nitric acid of 23-24-° Beaume a new cry- 

 stallizable acid is obtained, which has been mentioned in one 

 of our former reports. 



Anisic acid. — The rough impure acid may be dissolved in 

 ammonia, the salt recrystallized several times, and from the 

 insoluble lead salt the pure acid may be obtained. The acid 

 crystallizes in long needles, sparingly soluble in cold water, 

 but much more so in boiling water ; easily soluble in alcohol 

 and aether. 



It can be volatilized without decomposition, and forms soluble 

 salts with the alkalies and earths. The lead and silver salts 

 are soluble in hot water. The acid precipitates sesquioxide of 

 iron, like benzoic and cinnamic acids. Formula is C 16 H 14 O 6 . 

 The aether may be prepared by passing hydrochloric acid into 

 an alcoholic solution of anisic acid. 



By heating- anisic acid with an excess of baryta a fluid sub- 

 stance, anisoX is obtained similar to Mitscherlich's benzin, in- 

 asmuch as it seems to form analogous compounds ; it differs, 

 however, in so far that it contains oxygen, its formula being 

 C 14 H 14 O 2 . 



Note.— [The confusion in chemical nomenclature seems 

 nearly to have reached a climax. Berzelius has proposed 

 some excellent rules for the terminations of names, but they 

 have unfortunately been but little attended to. Mitscherlich's 

 discovery of benzin paved the way to that of many similar sub- 

 stances. He called this substance, C 12 H 12 benzin. Liebig 



