298 CEESOLS. 



sulphurous acid (p. 270) with water at 130. Long, 

 shiny, four-sided needles. Insoluble in water and alka 

 lies, easily soluble in ether and hot alcohol. Fuses at 

 36. 



2. Cresols. 



CH 

 OH. 



C 7 H 8 0=C 6 H 4 | 



a. Orthocresol. Is obtained by melting potassium 

 orthosulphotoluenate with caustic potassa, dissolving 

 the mass in acids, and exhausting with ether. Limpid 

 liquid ; boiling point, 188-190 ; does not congeal at a 

 low temperature. Heated for a long time with caustic 

 potassa, it is converted into salicylic acid. 



b. Metacresol. Is produced together with propy- 

 lene gas by heating thymol (p. 300) with phosphoric 

 anhydride. The product, that consists chiefly of cre- 

 sol-phosphate, is decomposed by means of potassium 

 hydroxide, the mass acidified and exhausted with 

 ether. Colorless liquid of an odor like that of phenol. 

 Boiling point, 195-200. Does not congeal even in a 

 mixture of solid carbonic anhydride and ether. Fused 

 with caustic potassa it is converted into oxybenzoic 

 acid. 



Metacresol-ethylether, C 7 H 7 .O.C 2 IP. Is prepared 

 like phenol-ethylether. Liquid, of boiling point 188- 

 191. 



c. Paracresol. Is prepared from parasulphotoluenic 

 acid like orthocresol. Is also produced by boiling with 

 water the diazotoluene sulphate obtained from parato- 

 luidin (p. 277.) Colorless prisms of a phenol odor, 

 reminding of decayed urine ; fusing point, 36 ; boiling 

 point, 198 ; very difficultly soluble in water. The 

 aqueous solution gives a blue color with iron chloride. 

 Fusing caustic potassa converts it into paraoxybenzoic 

 acid. 



