146 



THE CHEMIStRY OF DORYPHORA SASSAFRAS, 



The Essential Oil of the Fruits. — This was determined in the 

 same way, and yielded 2% on the fresh fruits, or 4% on material 

 dried at 100''. The crushed fruits emitted a strong odour of 

 camphor. 

 Comparison of Essential Oils from the Bark of four diffkrknt 



"Sassafras" Trees. 



Doryphora 



A therospe7-ma{2) 



Ginnamom. Oliv.{^). 

 Sassafras offic 



Yield. 



1-3.5% 

 1-20 

 0-86 

 6 to 9 



Safrol. 



small amt. 

 small amt. 

 small amt. 

 80-90% 



The numerical properties of the oils of Doryphora and Athero- 

 sperma are nearly the same, and it will probably be found that 

 their constituents are the same. They differ entirely from the 

 American sassafras oil of commerce, which has a much greater 

 yield. 



riuckiger,(4) in 1888, stated that in both Doryphora and 

 Atherosperma, the odour was strongly suggestive of safrol. Now 

 in Doryphora oil, the stearoptene which crystallises out on 

 freezing, and melts at about the same temperature as safrol, most 

 probably represents the small amount of this constituent which 

 is present. The recent investigation of the oil of Atherosperma 

 by Miss Scott, (5) of Melbourne, shows that safrol is a constituent. 

 The American oil, when cooled to 0", becomes solid by the crys- 

 tallisation of the very large amount of safrol contained in it(6). 



Safrol is a constituent of the essential oils in typical members 

 of the following Natural Orders — Monimiacete (Doryphora), 

 Lauracese (Sassafras, Cinnamomnm, Beilschmiedia), Magnoliacese 

 ( Illicium), A ristolochiacepe (Asarum); and the chief supply for 

 the world's market is made by the firm of Schimmel and Co., 

 from Cinnaniomum camphora. 



B. The Aqueous Distillate. 

 The aqueous distillate, after the oil had been removed by ether, 

 was found to liave an acid reaction, and to contain no volatile 

 alkaloid. Part of the solution was exactly neutralised with 



