472 COPAIBA-RESIN. 



turbid ness remains, crystals separate in a few hours, 

 consisting of 



Sylvic acid (Abiotic acid), C 20 H 30 2 . Crystallizes 

 from alcohol in pointed, oval lamina. Insoluble in 

 water, soluble in alcohol, ether, benzene, and chloro 

 form ; fuses at 120 ; monobasic acid. The alkaline 

 salts are yellowish, brittle masses; easily soluble in 

 water and alcohol. The magnesium, calcium, and 

 barium salts are white, flocculent precipitates; diffi 

 cultly soluble in water, more easily in alcohol. 



An acid, isomeric with sylvic acid, 



Pimaric acid, C 20 H 30 2 , forms the principal ingre 

 dient of the resin from Pinus maritima (Galipot). It 

 is deposited from its alcoholic solution in hard crusts. 

 Fusing point, 149; perfectly insoluble in water, diffi 

 cultly soluble in cold alcohol and ether, easily in the hot 

 liquids. Monobasic acid. Yields crystallizable salts. 

 Boils above 320, and, when distilled, is converted into 

 sylvic acid. 



f 2. Copaiba-resin. From species of Copaifera, in 

 digenous in Brazil, is obtained, by means of incisions, 

 balsam of copaiba, a bright-yellow, clear, thick liquid, 

 resembling oil of turpentine, which consists of resin 

 and a turpene. 



The resin, freed of oil by distillation with water, is 

 an acid, copaivic acid, C 20 H 30 2 (?), isomeric with sylvic 

 and pimaric acids; it can be obtained in exceedingly 

 regular, clear, colorless crystals by dissolving the resin 

 in alcohol and allowing it to evaporate spontaneously; 

 or by shaking the balsam for a long time with a con 

 centrated solution of ammonium carbonate, and then 

 acidifying the lower aqueous solution of the ammo 

 nium salt with acetic acid. On the other hand, the 

 different varieties of balsam appear to contain some 

 what different or altered resins, and hence the resin 

 cannot always be obtained in a crystalline form. In 

 Maricaibo balsam there is contained an acid, meta- 

 copaivic acid, C 22 H 34 4 , very similar to copaivic acid; it 

 crystallizes in laminae, and fuses at 205-206. 



