252 Mr. B. C. Brodie on Myricine, 



363-1 100-0 



Distillation of Myricine. 



The discovery of the cerotic acid rendered it evident that in 

 order to obtain the products of distillation of myricine, and 

 especially the acids in a state of purity, it was necessary first 

 to remove that body and to distil only the residue of the wax. 

 I give the results of this experiment made with myricine. The 

 first portions of the distillate consist almost entirely of acids, 

 the latter of hydrocarbons. During the distillation a smell of 

 butyric acid may be perceived. This however appeared to 

 me to diminish when the boiling of the wax with alcohol had 

 been very long continued. It is possible to effect nearly a 

 complete separation of the acids and the hydrocarbons by di- 

 stillation. It is however not advisable to proceed in this 

 manner, but it is best after boiling the distillate with water to 

 saponify the whole by potash. The soap may be removed 

 by a syphon from the hydrocarbons which float on the surface. 



Palmitic Acid from the Distillation of Myricine. 



The acid, having been purified in the usual manner by 

 washing out the baryta salt with aether, and the subsequent 

 methods of purification, presents an appearance similar to the 

 acids obtained by saponification. By crystallization the melt- 

 ing-point may be raised to 62° C. 



CO2. HO. 



I. 0-2592 grm. of this acid gave 0*7165 0-2931 

 II. 0-250 grm. of this acid gave 0-6865 0-27925 

 III. 0-2775 grm. of this acid gave 0*75925 0-311 



These analyses correspond in 100 parts to — 



I. II. III. 



Carbon . . 75-39 74-89 74-61 

 Hydrogen . 12-58 12-40 12*45 



Oxygen . . 12*03 12*71 12-94 



100*00 100-00 100*00 



The silver salt of this acid, prepared as before, gave the 

 following results : — 



I. 0*5006 grm. of the substance gave . . 0*1479 silver. 

 II. 0*2295 grm, of another preparation gave 0*0685 silver. 



