Ryan & Dillon — On Montanin and Montana {Montan) Waxes. 205 



molecular weight of 426 (OjgHseOo requires 424'45), aud gave on analysis the 

 following results : — 



0-1675 grm. subst. gave 0'4860 grm. CO, and 0-1985 grm. H.O. 

 C 79-13 H 13-17. 

 O^bH^cO, requires 79-24 H 13-21. 



" Montanic " Acid, whose mean Acid Number is 138-3, consists therefore 

 mainly of an acid whose molecular weight is 424, with a smaller quantity of 

 acids of lower molecular weight. 



The purified Montanic Acid is nearly insoluble in alcohol or ether, in the 

 cold, but readily soluble on warming with these solvents. It is slightly 

 soluble in cold, easily in hot chloroform, benzene, or petroleum-ether, from 

 which it crystallizes in curved needles. 



Unmjjonifiable portion. — The unsaponifiable portion of Montana Wax 

 crystallizes from hot benzene in glistening scaly masses of fine curved 

 needles, having a specific gravity of 0-92 and M.P. 58-59° C. (uncorr.). 

 It is scarcely soluble in cold alcoliol or ether, is slightly soluble in 

 chloroform or petroleum-ether, and readily soluble in the hot solvents. 

 Unlike the saturated hydrocarbons, it dissolves easily in hot absolute alcohol. 



Unlike the aleoliols, it was insoluble in hot acetic anhydride, with which 

 it did not react to form an acetyl derivative. 



Two analyses of the imsaponifiable portion were made with the following 

 results ; — 



A. 0-1330 grm. subst. gave 0-4080 grm. CO,, and 0-1650 grm. 11,0 



corresponding to C 83-66, H 13-79, 2-5 per cent. 



B. 0-1250 grm. subst. gave 0-3830 grm. CO,, and 0-1575 grm. H^O 



corresponding to C 83-56, H 14-0, 2-44 per cent. 



The sum of the percentages of carbon and hydrogen being less tlian 100 

 forced us to conclude that the substance is not a pure hydrocarbon, and left 

 the question of its alcoholic nature still open. 



The fact that acetic anhydride does not react with the unsaponifiable portion 

 to form an acetyl derivative showed that the wax cannot contain appreciable 

 quantities of primary or secondary alcohols. The absence of primary alcohols 

 was confirmed by us by another method : — 



When one of the higher primary alcohols is heated with potash-lime for 

 some hours to a temperature of 250° C, it is oxidized to the potassium-salt of 

 the corresponding acid. Thus myricyl alcohol gives potassium melissate and 

 hydrogen. 



0,,H5,CH,0H + KOH = C,i,H59C00K + 2U,. 



