312 ALCOHOLS BENZYL ALCOHOL. 



water, easily soluble in alcohol, and ether. In a moist 

 condition it is reconverted into chloranilic acid in con- 

 tact with the air. With acetyl chloride, it yields an 

 ether, C 6 C1 2 (O.C 2 H S 0) 4 , that crystallizes well, fuses at 

 235, and is very stable. 



Disulphotetroxybenzolic acid, C 6 | sgQp 



The alkaline salts of this acid are produced by boiling 

 the salts of euthiochronic acid (p. 305) with tin and hy- 

 drochloric acid. The potassium salt, C 6 (OH) 4 (S0 2 .OK) 2 

 4- 2H 2 0, crystallizes in colorless columns, which, when 

 dry, are stable in the air, but when moist or in solution 

 are oxidized, and turn red in contact with the air. The 

 free acid is not known. 



C. ALCOHOLS. 



The aromatic alcohols are isomeric with the phenols. 

 They differ from the phenols, in that the hydroxyl 

 groups do not replace hydrogen-atoms of the benzene 

 nucleus, but of the substituting methyl, ethyl groups, 

 etc. They conduct themselves in every way analo- 

 gously to the alcohols of the marsh-gas series. 



1. Benzyl Alcohol. 

 C 7 H 8 = C 6 H 5 .CH 2 .OH. 



Occurrence. In the form of benzyl benzoate and 

 cinnamate in Peru- and Tolu-balsams.* 



Formation and preparation. From oil of bitter al- 

 monds by means of nascent hydrogen (sodium-amal- 

 gam and water) ; or by mixing with an alcoholic solu- 

 tion of potassium hydroxide, it being thus resolved 

 into benzyl alcohol and potassium beuzoate, an evolu- 

 tion of heat accompanying the action. After distilling 



f 



* Peru- and Tolu-balsams are tenacious yellow or reddish-brown 

 liquids, which are obtained in Mexico and Peru from the branches and 

 bark of Myroxylon peruiferum and Myroxylon toluiferum by means of 

 soaking or boiling with water, or, less frequently, from incisions, from 

 which they flow spontaneously. 



