274 HAMAMELIDE^. 



Chemical Composition — The most abundant constituent of Styrax 

 is probably the Storesin, C'^H''(OH)', discovered in 1877 by W. von 

 Miller, or rather cinnamic ethers oi" it and of an isomeric substance. 

 Storesin is an amorphous substance melting at 168° C, readily soluble 

 in petroleum ether. Several other compound ethers have also been 

 observed in the drug, as for instance cinnamic ether of 'plienyljyro'pyl, 

 cinnaTnic ether of ethyl, cinnamic ether of benzyl, and especially cinna- 

 mate of cinnamyl, CH^O^C^H", the so-called Styracin. This substance, 

 discovered by Bonastre in 1827, can be removed by ether, benzol or 

 alcohol, after the separation from the resin of the cinnamic acid ; it is 

 insoluble in water, and volatile only in super-heated steam. It crystal- 

 lizes in tufts of long rectangular prisms, which melt at 38° C, but it 

 frequently does not solidify in a crystalline form, or only after a long 

 time, or remains as an oily liquid. In its pure state it is inodorous 

 and tasteless. By concentrated solution of potash, it is resolved into a 

 cinnamate, and cinnamic alcohol {Sty rone) C^H^^O, which latter is not 

 present in Liquid Storax. The cinnamic acid may be extracted to 

 a small extent by boiling water, more completely by means of 

 a boiling solution of carbonate of sodium, as it is present in 

 the drug partly in the free state. Its compound ethers may be 

 decomposed by caustic lye. The yield of cinnamic acid accordingly 

 varies from 6 to 12 per cent. — or even, according to Lowe, as much as 

 23 per cent, of crystallized cinnamic acid can be obtained. The acid 

 dissolves abundantly in ether, alcohol, or hot water, slightly in cold 

 water ; it is inodorous, but has an acrid taste. It fuses at 133° C, and 

 boils at 290° C. ; at a dull red heat it is resolved into carbonic acid and 

 styrol, which latter is therefore related to it in the same manner as 

 benzol (benzene) to benzoic acid. Liquid styrax is in fact the best 

 source of cinnamic acid. 



Another constituent of styrax is a fragrant substance, perhaps 

 ethylvanillin, occurring in but small quantity. 



Laubenheimer (1872) has shown that probably Benzylic Alcohol, 

 C"ffO, boiling at 206° C, likewise occurs in Liquid Storax ; it has not 

 been found by Miller. The latter chemist also showed that water 

 removes from the drug a little benzoic acid ; he observed moreover a 

 substance similar to caoutchouc among the constituents of liquid styrax. 



There is further to be mentioned as having been met with in Liquid 

 Storax a hydrocarbon, C^H^, first prepared by Simon in 1839, which 

 exists in the resin as a liquid, and also in a polymeric form as a solid. 

 The former called Styrol, Cinnamene, or Cinnamol, has a sp. gr. of 

 0*924, and a boiling point of 146° C. It is a colourless, mobile liquid 

 which may be obtained by distilling with water liquid storax, the 

 odour and burning taste of which it possesses. When heated for a con- 

 siderable time to 100°, or for a shorter period to 200° C, it is con- 

 verted without change of composition into the colourless, transparent 

 solid Metastyrol, which, unlike styrol, is not soluble in alcohol or ether. 

 It has a sp. gr. of 1'054, and may be cut with a knife. By prolonged 

 heating, it can be converted into its original liquid form. 



Styrol is to be regarded as phenylated ethylene ; it can be artificially 

 obtained by shaking powdered cinnamic acid with saturated hy- 

 drobromic acid, when crystalline hydrobromated cinnamic acid, 

 C'ff .CH2.CHBr.C00H, is formed. One part of the latter, 10 parts of 



