64.8 SCIENTIFIC EECORD FOR 1883. 



* 



bromide. The resulting hydrocarbon was easily isolated and proved to 

 be anthracene. This synthesis establishes the fact that the middle 

 carbon atoms in anthracene are directly united, a supposition generally 

 held but not previously determined by experiment. The formula of 

 anthracene is accordingly represented thus : 



C 6 H 4 <f | >C 6 H 4 . 



\ CH s^ 



(Ber. d. chem. Ges., xvi, 623.) 



Pyridine and Quinoline Bases. — The close connection which has been 

 established between several important alkaloids and the derivatives of 

 pyridine and quinoline is being confirmed by numerous researches. AIL 

 the evidence accumulated thus far is in harmony with the view that 

 many of the important alkaloids are derivatives of pyridine, a constitu- 

 ent of bone-oil and of coal-tar, which, moreover, has been obtained by 

 the dry distillation of nicotine. The relation between these alkaloids 

 and pyridine is somewhat analogous to that between the aromatic com- 

 pounds and benzene. According to Korner pyridine is benzene in 

 which one of the six CH groups is replaced by N, and this view has 

 recently found additional support. 



The investigations of Konigs, Skraup, and others go to establish a 

 close connection between quinoline (and its homologues lepidine, dispo- 

 line, and tetrabiroline) and such alkaloids as quinine, cinchonine, and 

 their isomers. (E. H. K. in Am. Chem. Journ., v, 60.) 



Constituents of the Petroleum of Galicia. — According to Lachowicz, the 

 petroleum of Galicia contains a large number of hydrocarbons of the 

 marsh-gas series, isopentane, normal peutane, hexane, both normal and 

 secondary, and heptane, together with several of the aromatic series, 

 benzene (benzol) toluol, isoxylol mesitylene, and the so-called Vreden's 

 hydrocarbons. Members of the ethylene series are entirely wanting. 

 (Liebig's Annalen, ccxx, 168.) 



Products of the Dry Distillation of Wood at low Temperatures. — Prof. 

 C. F. Mabery has examined the more volatile products of the dry dis- 

 tillation of wood in the manufacture of acetic acid. The greater part of 

 the product consists of methyl alcohol and methyl acetate; besides 

 these are found acetic aldehyde, acetic acid, acetone, acetal, dimethyl- 

 acetal, methylethylketone, and allyl alcohol, together with traces of the 

 higher ketones. A new constituent is methyl formiate. The higher 

 boiling oils contained furfurol, and by the action of alkalies upon it a 

 small quantity of pyroxanthin. The proportion of acetone was small. 

 (Am. Chem. Journ., V, 256.) 



The Constituents of Ozocerite. — Ozokerite from the island Tscheleken, 

 in the Caspian Sea, has been examined by F. Beilstein and E. Wiegand. 



