190 Notices of the Labours of Continental Chemists. 



It is a colourless liquid, lighter than water, boils at 240°; ii> 

 soluble in water, soluble in alcohol and aether. Formula 

 C-° H 22 O 3 , C 4 H 10 O. Specific gravity of vapour = 6'65, 

 calculated 6*583. 



By the action of potassa on cuminol, without the aid of 

 heat, a peculiar gelatinous substance is formed — cuminol-po- 

 tassium (potassio-cnminol), C 20 H 22 K O 2 . This is decomposed 

 by water into cuminol and potassa; it absorbs oxygen and 

 forms cuminate of potassa. Chloride of cuminol is obtained 

 by acting with chlorine or cuminol in the sunlight. The 

 chloride is a colourless fluid, but decomposes with great rapi- 

 dity. Formula C 20 H 22 CI 2 O 2 . Forms, by boiling with po- 

 tassa, cuminate of potassa and chloride of potassium ; by ex- 

 posure to a moist atmosphere it also forms cuminic acid. 

 An amide compound does not appear to exist. The action 

 of bromine is exactly the same as that of chlorine. By distil- 

 ling one part of cuminic acid with four parts of caustic baryta, 

 a colourless oil is obtained, and carbonate of bai'yta remains 

 in the retort. This oil is cumen; it is colourless; smells like 

 benzin; boils at 144°; formula, C 18 H 24 ; sp. gr. of the vapour 

 = 3*96, calculated 4'12. Cumen, C 18 H 24 , is cuminic acid, 

 minus carbonic acid, C 20 H 24 O 4 - C 2 O 4 . Cumen is insolu- 

 ble in water ; soluble in alcohol and aether ; forms, with an- 

 hydrous sulphuric acid, a peculiar compound — cumensulphu- 

 ric acid. The baryta salt crystallizes in beautiful lamellae. 

 Formula C 18 H 22 , S 2 5 + BaO. Retinyl {Retinylene) lias 

 the same formula as cumen; it boils, however, at 150°; it 

 combines in the same manner with sulphuric acid. The 

 baryta salt, however, forms only crystalline crusts. For- 

 mula is the same, viz. C 18 H 22 , S 2 5 + BaO. It also dif- 

 fers from the cumensulphate in being insoluble in absolute 

 alcohol. 



By the distillation of one part of cinnamic acid with four 

 parts of caustic baryta, a similar fluid, chinamen, may be ob- 

 tained. Formula, C 16 'H 16 ; sp. gr. of the vapour = 3*55, 

 calculated = 3 - 57; boils at 140°. Bromine forms with it a 

 crystalline compound, C 16 ' H 16 Br 4 . 



Cymen is obtained pure by treating the oil of caraway with 

 fused potassa, by which means all cuminol is separated. Cy- 

 men is colourless ; boils at 165° ; soluble in alcohol and aether ; 

 forms, with fuming sulphuric acid, the cymensulphuric acid : 

 forms, with nitric acid, a new acid, which is difficultly cry- 



stallizable. Formula of cymen is C 20 H 28 ; sp. gr. of vapour = 



i ii 

 4-59, 4-70, calculated 4-69. 



Cymensulphate of baryta has the formula C 20 H 26 , S 2 O 5 -J- 



