302 Transactions. 



Experimental. 



1. Preparation of Slearone. — Pure stearic acid is heated with one-tenth 

 of its weight of powdered cast-iron turnings to a temperature of 280° C. 

 The temperature is then slowly raised to 360°, and maintained between 

 360° and 370° until evolution of carbon-dioxide almost ceases — usually 

 about two hours. The product is freed from iron by means of hydrochloric 

 or sulphuric acid, and from stearic acid by aqueous alkali. The ketone is 

 twice crystallized from light peti oleum with the addition of animal char- 

 coal, and is then pure. The yield is 80-85 per cent, of that required by 

 theory. The melting-point was found to be 88°, as stated by Krafft. An 

 analysis gave — 



2. Preparation of Dihepta-decyl Carbinol. — 1 gram of stearone was dis- 

 solved in 200 c.c. of amyl alcobol, and reduced by the slow addition of 

 8 grams of sodium to the boiling solution. The secondary alcohol crystal- 

 lized out on cooling, and after several recrystallizations melted constantly 



at 89-5°. 



Found. Calculated. 



C = 82-31 82-66 



H = 1403 14-19 



The carbinol yielded an acetic ester melting at 61° (not sharply) and 

 giving on analysis— 



3. Preparation of Oleone. — 5 grams of pure oleic acid prepared from 

 olive-oil, and melting at 14° C, was rapidly heated with one-tenth of its 

 weight of cast-iron powder to 240°, and then more slowly to 340° and 

 maintained at this temperature for two hours. The product was treated 

 first with acid, then with alkali, afterwards crystallized from alcohol, and 

 finally from acetic acid, until the melting-point was constant at 59-60°. 

 The yield was 10 per cent, of the weight of the oleic acid taken. 



The same yield of oleone of the same melting-point was obtained in 

 an experiment in which carefully rectified oleic acid prepared from com- 

 mercial olein was employed. 



A smaller yield of oleone of the same melting-point was obtained by 

 distilling pure barium oleate in a partial vacuum to a temperature which 

 finally reached 450°. The distillate was rectified under reduced pressure, 

 and the portion boiling at 280-330° at 5-10 mm. pressure deposited oleone 

 on cooling. After several crystallizations the substance melted at 59°. 

 The yield was only 2 per cent, of the theoretical amount. Analysis 1 was 

 carried out on oleone obtained by the iron method, analysis 2 with 

 oleone from barium oleate : — 



1. 2. Calculated. 



C = 83-5 83-40 83-62 



H = 13-6 1310 13-14 



The molecular weight by the ebullioscopic method in alcoholic solution 



gaVG ~ M = 492 and 508. Calculated = 502. 



Bromine absorption in twelve hours = 62-1. Calculated for 4 atoms, 

 bromine = 63-8 



