430 Scientific Intelligence. 



but nearly insoluble in water, and may be boiled with nitric, muriatic 

 or sulphuric acids without change. By heat it decomposes potassium 

 with violence, but in the cold a mixture of chlorid of potassium and 

 nitre is gradually formed. Watery solutions of alkalies do not affect it, 

 but an alcoholic solution slowly decomposes it, with the separation of 

 nitre and chlorid of potassium. Dry ammonia produces a similar de- 

 composition. By passing its vapor through a tube below a red heat, it 

 is decomposed into chlorine, nitrous oxyd, and a chlorid of carbon, 

 acetene perchlore of Gerhardt (C Cl 6 ). 



Its analysis gave C 6*30— 6-66— 6*72. CI 64-47—64-83. H 0-26 

 022, and a comparison of the volumes of nitrogen and carbonic 

 acid gas from its combustion, gave 1 : 2, making the nitrogen z=7*78 

 percent., and the oxygen 21*09 — 21-70,- from these Dr. Stenhouse 

 deduces the formula C 4 Cl 7 N 2 10 , which accords sufficiently well 

 with analysis but is quite improbable, inasmuch as the sum of the 

 chlorine and nitrogen is not an even number. He rejects the 0*26 of 

 hydrogen as accidental, but this quantity corresponds exactly to one 

 equivalent and the formula then becomes C 4 (HC! 7 )N 2 O 10 , which 

 is no longer anomalous. 



This singular substance requires further examination and deserves to 

 be studied in its metamorphoses by alkalies and reducing agents. It is 

 probable from the large amount of oxygen, as well as from its origin, 

 that the nitrogen is to be viewed as associated with oxygen replacing 

 hydrogen, and the normal compound would then be C 4 H 20 2 , the 

 formula of chloropicrine being written C 4 (H 2 Cl 14 X 4 ) 2 . 



I . o. ii. 



5. On Turpentine Camphor ; by Dr. C. List, (Chem. Gazette, Aug. 

 1st, 1848, from Jour, fur Prakt. Chem., vol. xliii, p. 499.)— This sub- 

 stance is obtained when moist oil of turpentine is exposed to cold, but 

 more abundantly by the process of Wigger, which consists in mix- 

 ing the oil with alcohol and nitric acid and allowing it to stand for 

 some months. The author adopts for this substance the name of ter^ 

 pine, proposed by Berzelius, but for the sake of uniformity, that ot 

 terebol, proposed by Gerhardt, is preferable. It crystallizes in the tri- 

 metric system ; the crystals melt with a gentle heat, losing 2 equiv. of 

 water, and are converted into a white opaque mass, which readily absorbs 

 water from the atmosphere, and has the composition C 20 H 20 4 . It 

 melts at 217° F., and at a higher temperature sublimes in a current of 

 air condensing in long prisms. I& hot aqueous solution undergoes a 

 singular change by the action of the acids; the liquid becomes milky 

 and acquires a fragrant odor, and by distillation a volatile oil is obtain- 

 ed to which the discoverer has applied the name of terpinole. The 

 weakest acids effect this change; one drop of sulphuric acid is suffi- 

 cient to decompose an ounce of terebol. Terpenole is a colorless oil, 

 having a fragrant odor like hyacinths ; it has a sp. gr. of -852, and boils 

 at 834°. Its formula is C 20 H 17 O, and it is hence formed from tere- 

 bol by the loss of the elements of 3 eq. of water. 



Terebol absorbs hydrochloric acid gas with the evolution of heat, 

 and water is also probably disengaged. The mass which results on 

 cooling when recrystallized from alcohol, yields large plates which 

 melt at 122° C, have the formula C 20 H/ 8 CI 2 , when heated with 





m 



