62 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



Kurbatoff* observed tbe formation of acetic acid, considerable succinic 

 acid, and otlier non-volatile acids. Tlie oil remaining after the treat- 

 ment with nitric acid, was distilled with sodium, and a combustion gave 

 the following results already stated on page 56 : — 



Since hexahydrotoluol is not affected by nitric acid, but is com- 

 pletely decomposed by a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids, it can- 

 not be present in any appreciable quantity in this fraction. 



In examining the fraction 118°-119° for hexahydroisoxylol, after 

 the sixteenth distillation it was heated with a mixture of nitric and 

 sulphuric acids. The acid was much colored from decomposition, and 

 crystals separated which were very sparingly soluble in alcohol. The 

 purified substance melted at 178°, the melting point of trinitroisoxylol. 

 Hexahydroisoxylol was therefore present, although it formed but a 

 small part of this distillate, as shown by the results of combustions 

 repeated from page 56. It should be borne in mind that the oil 

 analyzed was purified with nitric and sulphuric acids separately : — 



Required for 

 CjH,g. CjHig. 



C 84.20 85.71 



H 15.79 14.28 



By further treatment with the acid mixture the hexahj'dro com- 

 pound was sufficiently removed to prove the presence of a hydrocar- 

 bon C„H2„ + 2' ^s shown by the results of analysis already given. 



With the limited quantity of distillates 136°-138°, which should 

 contain hexahydromesitylene if it is a constituent of Canadian pe- 

 troleum, remaining from the examination of the xylols, satisfactory 

 conclusions could not be reached concerning the presence of this hydro- 

 carbon. Since Markowuikoff has recognized it in the Russian oil, it 

 is very possibly present in the Canada oil. As in tlie Ohio fractions, 

 after removing the xylols by continued action of the acid mixture, we 

 obtained a small quantity of an oily nitro product that did not crystal- 

 lize. With a larger supply of this distillate, further attempts will be 

 made. 



The lines of study which are now in progress on the Ohio and 



* Ber. (ler deutsch. cheni. Gesellsch., 1880, p. 1820. 



