XYLITE NAPHTHA, METHOL. 837 







the action of potash and potassium upon xylite. It is colour- 

 less, volatile, and of an ethereal odour, boils somewhat above 

 158, and is soluble in water. 



Xylite naphtha, C 6 H 6 O^. By the action of hydrate of po- 

 tash upon mesite, acetic acid is formed and xylite naphtha. 

 When pure, this liquid is colourless and very fluid, having an 

 odour resembling oil of peppermint, but slightly soluble in 

 water, soluble easily in alcohol, wood-spirit, xylite and ether. 

 It boils at 230, and burns with a white and smoky flame. 



The principal products of the treatment of xylite-naphtha by 

 an excess of hydrate of potash or potassium are xylite-oil and 

 xylite-resin. 



Xylite-resin, C 24 H 18 O 3 ; when pure, is a reddish, brown, 

 brittle mass, fusible under 212, but decomposed by a higher 

 temperature. It is insoluble in water, or in solution of potash, 

 and gives no precipitate with an alcoholic solution of acetate of 

 lead. It is readily dissolved by alcohol, wood-spirit, xylite and 

 ether. 



Xylite-oil, C 12 H 9 Oi. To obtain this oil pure, it is necessary 

 to act upon xylite with a great excess of hydrate of potash. It 

 is colourless, but usually yellow, lighter than water and nearly 

 insoluble in it, readily dissolved by alcohol, etc. It has a bit- 

 ter, burning taste, a peculiar odour, boils considerably above 

 392 (200 centig.), and may be distilled without decomposition. 

 It burns with a white, very smoky flame. When decomposed 

 by hydrate of potash, xylite-oil gives acetic acid and a peculiar 

 resin, C 48 H 36 O 3 ; not so fusible as xylite-resin. 



When ] part of anhydrous acetone is gradually mixed with 

 2 parts of hydrate of potash, well pulverised, the vessel being 

 kept cool, and the mass mixed after six or eight days with 

 water, a brown oily liquid separates ; this may be washed with 

 water to free it from undecomposed acetone, and distilled with 

 water to separate it from a resinous body. This oil has the 

 same boiling point and composition as xylite-oil, and appears 

 to be identical with it. The resin has also the same compo- 

 sition as xylite-resin.* 



Methol, C 12 H 9 ; a liquid produced by the distillation of xylite 

 with sulphuric acid; pure wood-spirit does not yield it, although 

 it was first obtained by the treatment of the crude spirit ; it is 



* Loewig and Weidmann ; PoggendorfFs Annalen, 1, 299. 



