2 ART. .^. — T. KAMETAKA : ON THE CONSTITUTION 



of the acid as CigHgoOa, observes that azelaic acid (C9H16O4) and 

 n-valerianic acid are formed by the oxidation of the acid as 

 well as its stereoisomer elaeostearic acid, and states : — 



„JjQ reste de la molécnle, qui comprend encore é"""* de carbone, 

 est entièrement détruit, ce qui laisse indécise la question de savoir 

 si l'acide élœostéarique renferme deux ou trois liaisons multiples ; 

 en d'autres termes, s'il est éthylénique et acétylénique ou triethy- 

 lenique. 



Le seul fait certain qui découle des résultats précédants c'est 

 que l'acide élœostêarique possède deux lacunes dans les positions 

 5 et 9." (loc. cit.). 



Now, according to O. Doebner (Ber., 1890, 23, 2374), sorbic 

 acid CH3-CH=CH-CH=CH-C02H and other acids containing 

 the group -CH=CH-CH=CH-C02H when oxidised with potas- 

 sium permanganate in a slightly alkaline solution give tartaric 

 acid among otlicr products; but on oxidising elœomargaric acid 

 in the same manner, it was found that no tartaric acid was 

 produced. It appears, therefore, that the statement by Cloëz 

 that elseomargaric acid is a homologue of sorbic acid is not 

 founded upon fact. Moreover, elseomargaric acid, unlike stearolic 

 acid, and behenolic acid, docs not give a definite product with 

 cone, sulphuric acid. Cloëz's idea that elaeomargaric acid is a 

 homologue of stearolic acid and contains a triple bond is, there- 

 fore, also rendered improbable. 



Further, on repeating Maquenne's oxidation process, a large 

 quantity of azelaic acid was indeed obtained, but the presence of 

 n-valerianic acid could not be established with certainty. There 

 seems, therefore, to be no doubt that one double bond out of 

 the two, which elœomargaric acid doubtless contains, is in the 

 middle of the chain of 18 carbon atoms. As to the position 



