Number of Isomeric Bodies. 327 



these remarks very satisfactorily is shown by the Oil of Turpen- 

 tine C 10 H 16 . 



We know a great number of hydrocarbons which have this 

 formula, for instance Oil of Lemons, of Cubebs, of Juniper, etc. 

 The great difference in the smell leads us to the conclusion that 

 there must be a difference in their chemical constitution. There 

 are several other hydrocarbons of- the formula C 10 H ]6 which 

 show no difference in smell, although they differ from Oil of 

 Turpentine in the power of turning the plane of polarization. 

 Which is the fact that shows us that these bodies are not iden- 

 tical but are isomeric. 



Kolbe considers the Oil of Turpentine as a dicarbol. Dicar- 

 bols are hydrocarbons in which two atoms of the same hydro- 

 carbon are connected by a diatomic radical. According to 

 Kolbe, Benzol is a tricarbol. 



Kolbe * in his theory points out the analogy between diamins 

 and triamins, the latter of which are known as bodies of a well- 

 defined constitution. The ingenious theory of Kolbe has con- 

 sequently a true and positive foundation, which is not the case 

 with the so-called Kdten theory of Kekule, which is founded 

 on fancies and hypotheses. 



We will now calculate how many isomerics exist in the deriva- 

 tives of Ammonia ; in a manner similar to the above we find for : 

 1.) Ethylamin, 2 isomerics. (1 primary, 1 secondary.) 

 2.) Propylamin, 4 " (2 prim., 1 second., 1 tert.) 



3.) Butylamin, 8 " (4 prim., 3 second., 1 tert.) 



4.) Amylamin, 17 " (8 prim., 6 second., 3 tert.) 



5.) Caprylamin, 39 " (17 prim., 15 second., 7 tert.) 



These numbers are only calculated for the monocarhols con- 

 tained in these bases. The general law is thus : 



- . for a base of the general formula : C x H (2X + l) ) -^ 



H a [ W 



there exist more than 2 ix ~ l) and less than 2 X isomerii 



* I take this opportunity of calling attention to Kolbc's interesting work : 

 Ueber die Constitution dor Kohlenwasserstofle." 



