MICRO-ANALYSIS. 



835 



CUBEBIN (C10H10O3). 



Occurrence: See p. 571- 



Cubebin is prepared by first removing the oil from the Cubeb 

 fruits by distillation and then extracting the cubebin with boiling 

 alcohol. The solvent is then removed by distillation and the 

 residue washed with water and treated with a mixture of 5 parts 

 of alcohol (90 p. c.) and 2 parts of water, which dissolves 



Fig. 333. Codeine sulphate: orthorhombic crystals from hot alcoholic solution. 



the cubebin leaving the fatty substances behind. The alcoholic 

 solution is evaporated and the reddish-brown residue treated 

 with a potassium hydrate solution (1:4) until all the resin is 

 removed. The residue contains the cubebin as a pale yellow 

 substance which upon re-crystallization from hot alcohol is 

 obtained in the pure condition. It occurs in white rod-like 



