184 M. Personne on Terebenthilic Acid. 



unites directly with chloride of mercury and with nitrate of silver, 

 to form compounds which decompose on recrystallization. 



By treating the base with iodide of sethyle in the usual man- 

 ner a substitution base is obtained, which is oleaginous, soluble 

 in alcohol, difficultly so in water, and dissolves oxide of silver. 

 It forms with bichloride of platinum a crystalline double salt, 

 having the formula C^H^ONCl, PtCP. The formula of the 



base is C^^p4 j,5N, and is derived from triphenylamine by the 



substitution of sethyle for hydrogen. Triphenylamine must be 

 considered as an ammonia in which 3 equivs. of hydrogen are 



replaced by 3 equivs. of phenyle, C^^ H^ C'^ H^ ^N : it belongs 



to the class of nitrile bases, and the substitution base is hence : 



A new acid, terebenthilic acid, has been described by M. Per- 

 sonne*. It is obtained by passing the vapour of terpine (the 

 hydrate of oil of turpentine), C^" H^'', 4H0, over soda-lime heated 

 to about 400 degrees, and treating the product with hydro- 

 chloric acid. 



The acid, when pure, is a white solid, which melts at 190°, 

 and volatilizes at 250° in small plates. It crystalhzes from 

 hot water in the foi'm of a white powder composed of small 

 crystalline needles : it forms, with silver and lime, crystalline 

 salts. Its composition is C^^ H"' 0"*, and it stands thus between 

 caprylic acid, Ci« H'^ 0"*, and toluylic acid, C^^ H^ 0". It forms 

 an aromatic sether having a pine-apple flavour. 



Its production is attended with the evolution of marsh gas and 

 hydrogen, and may be thus expressed : — 



Terpine. Terebenthilic acid. Marsh gas. 



By the action of caustic alkali on castor oil, or on ricinoleic 

 acid, an oily liquid is produced which was generally admitted to 

 be caprylic alcohol, C'^ IP^ 0^, until Limpricht proved that 

 caprylic aldehyde, C"'H"'0^ was formed under these circum- 

 stances. It has now been shown by Bonis* that the product 

 varies with the circumstances under which it is produced. If 

 ricinoleic acid be heated rapidly with excess of caustic potash so 

 that the alkali melts, hydi-ogen is evolved, caprylic alcohol ne^irly 



* Comptes Rendus, September 8, 1856. 



t Annates de Chimie et de Physique, September 1866. 



