16 Mr. Noad on the Action of Nitric Acid on Cymol. 



The same relation is likewise observed in the acids resulting 

 from the oxidation of these bodies, and these acids are per- 

 haps even better adapted to point out this interesting regu- 

 larity, as the gaps existing between the different alcohols are 

 filled up in the series of the acids, which may be formed in a 

 great variety of ways, A glance at the following table will 

 render the regularity above alluded to at once obvious : — 



Now it seems that benzoic acid is a member of a similar 

 series of acids, distinguished from each other by the same 

 amounts of carbon and hydrogen, and that we may expect to 

 find a representative of every single term of the benzoyle se- 

 ries in these other families. An examination of cumin oil by 

 MM. Gerhardt and Cahours* has brought to light a new 

 acid, — cuminic acid, HO, Cgo Hjj O3, which exhibits a per- 

 fect analogy with benzoic acid, not only in its physical pro- 

 perties, but also in the metamorphoses which it undergoes 

 when acted on by chemical agents. This acid is distinguished 

 from benzoic, HO, Cj4H5 0y, by containing 3(C2H2) more; 

 it stands to benzoic acid as valerianic acid stands to acetic 

 acid, and when distilled with lime it is converted into cumol, 

 C,g Hj2, which represents benzol, Cjg Hg, in the benzoyle 

 series. The same investigation of cumin oil has made us ac- 

 quainted with another carbo-hydrogen cymol, Cgo H,4, which 

 is also a representative of benzol in another series ; but up 

 to the present time the acid from which this carbo-hydrogen 

 derives, and which would contain 4(C2 H2) more than ben- 

 zoic acid, has not been discovered. 



By the investigations of Pelletier and Walterf on the pro- 

 ducts of the distillation of resinous substances, of DevilleJ 

 on the distillation of tolu balsam, and of Boudault and Gle- 

 nard§ on the dry distillation of the dragon's blood, an addi- 



* Liebig's Annalen, xxxviii. 67. 



t Ibid, xxviii. 29j. 



t Ann. de Chini. et Phrjs. ."? ser. t. iii. p. 168. 



§ Joiirii. tie Pharm. i:t dc CItiin. 3 s6r. t. vi. p. 250. 



