4 Knecht & HiBBERT, Products isolated from Soot. 



The greater portion of the distillate came over at a con- 

 stant temperature of 300°C., and formed a yellow oil 

 which was further purified by redistillation. The ultimate 

 analyses yielded the following figures : — 



I. II. Calc. forCisHieO. 



C 8479 ... 8470 ... 84-90 

 H 770 ... 7-64 ... 7-55 



The substance had a slight but pleasant odour and 

 was sparingly soluble in benzene and in alcohol, but more 

 soluble in ether and in chloroform. Its solution in 

 chloroform is dextrorotatory (aD = 8°). The fact that it 

 must contain oxygen and at the same time cannot be a 

 phenol or an acid (as it is not taken up by caustic sodaj 

 would suggest that it is either an alcohol or some 

 other carbon compound containing oxygen. In 1890 

 Freund and Remse described an alcohol {Ber. 1890,, 

 p. 2863), which they had obtained synthetically and to 

 which they ascribed the formula of a diphenyl isopropyl 

 alcohol. It was obtained as a liquid which boiled under 

 reduced pressure at 300-302°, and as is shown by their 

 formula contains an asymmetric carbon atom. 



The portion of the soot tar which dissolved in caustic 

 soda was precipitated by sulphuric acid, filtered off, re- 

 dissolved in sodium carbonate, and again precipitated by 

 acid, and thus yielded a yellowish brown substance which 

 dissolved in alcohol and crystallised out on cooling. 

 Several recrystallisations from this solvent resulted in a 

 substance having a light yellowish brown colour, and 

 showing a constant melting point of I35°C. Ultimate 

 analysis gave the following figures : — 



Calc. for CgHgO. 



C 73-82 ... 74'o7 

 H 619 ... 6-17 



