868 CINNAMYL. 



boiling water; it is also but sparingly soluble in alcohol, 

 requiring 327 parts of alcohol to dissolve it at 68, while cinna- 

 mic acid is soluble in 4.2 parts, benzoic acid in 1.96, and 

 nitrobenzoic acid in somewhat less than its own weight. 



The alkaline nitrocinnamates dissolve easily in water; the 

 other salts are either soluble with difficulty or entirely insoluble; 

 they explode when heated. The ether of this acid is formed 

 by heating the latter with 20 parts of alcohol and a little sul- 

 phuric acid for several hours, at a temperature not exceeding 

 176. The acid is dissolved, and the liquid on cooling deposits 

 the nitrocinnamate of oxide of ethyl in prismatic crystals. This 

 ether melts at 276.8 (136 centig.), and boils at 5J2 but is 

 then partly decomposed ; it is not decomposed by ammonia. 



When more than 1 part of cinnamic acid is added to 8 parts 

 of nitric acid, the temperature rises above 140, and nitro- 

 benzoic acid is formed, with another acid not yet examined. 

 (Mitscherlich.) 



Hydruret of cinnamyl, C 18 H 8 O 2 HCi ; an oily liquid ob- 

 tained on adding water to the nitrate of hydruret of cinnamyl ; 

 discovered by Dumas and Peligot. 



Nitrate of hydruret of cinnamyl, C 18 H 8 O 2 + HO,NO 5 ; a 

 compound formed on treating the essence of cinnamon of China, 

 with concentrated and colourless nitric acid. The crystals first 

 obtained are purified by pressure in paper, and afterwards 

 crystallized from alcohol; it forms long oblique rhomboidal 

 prisms, perfectly pure and colourless. This compound soon 

 alters by keeping, disengaging nitrous acid and the hydruret of 

 benzoyl ; this decomposition is hastened by heating the com- 

 pound slightly. 



Chlorocinnose, C 18 H 4 C1 4 O 2 . This name is given by Dumas 

 and Peligot to a chlorinated product of the essence of cinnamon. 

 It is a volatile solid compound, crystalline and colourless at the 

 usual temperature, which enters into fusion at a moderate heat 

 and sublimes without residue. It is neither altered by concen- 

 trated sulphuric acid nor by gaseous ammonia. 



Oil of the balsam of Peru. This oil is obtained by treating 

 2 volumes of the balsam with 3 volumes of a solution of caustic 

 potash of density 1.3, and floats over a dark watery fluid 

 (Stoltz and Wernher). It is purified by distillation. This oil 

 is termed cinnameine by M. Fremy. When boiled with an 

 alkali it is transformed into cinnamic acid, and an indifferent 



