Ryan & Dillon — On Montmvin and Montana {Montan) Waxes. 207 



The appearance, melting-point, specific gravity, Iodine Number (30'4), 

 and solubilities prove that it is identical with the unsaponifiable matter of 

 Montana or Moutan Wax. 



We isolated the acid from Montaniu Wax, found that it melted at 

 83°0., and that in appearance and solubilities it was identical with Montanic 

 Acid. The Acid Number of the purified acid was 131-9 (C2,H5c03 requires 

 132-3). 



The acid and unsaponifiable constituents of Montana and Moutanin 

 Waxes having been thus shown to be identical with the acid and 

 unsaponifiable constitituents of Montana Wax, it was not at oiice evident 

 why a decrease of 12 per cent, in the amount of unsaponifiable matter 

 present in the wax should raise the melting-point from 76 to 95° C, and alter 

 so completely the appearance of the wax. The Acid Number of Moutanin 

 Wax (56-9) being lower than that (73-3) of Montana Wax, it was apparent 

 that tlie former must contain a smaller percentage of free acid than the 

 latter ; and as the Montana Wax also contains a higher percentage of 

 unsaponifiable matter than the former, the Montanin Wax must contain a 

 substance, insoluble in petroleum-ether, which is not present in Montana 

 Wax. 



After many experiments we found that a portion of Montanin Wax is 

 insoluble in cliloroforn), and that tlie wax, when burned, left an appreciable 

 quantity of ash, which consisted of sodium carbonate, with a trace of free 

 alkali. 



5 grms. of Montanin Wax gave 0'1386 grm. ash, corresponding to 

 2772 per cent, ash, which on titration with N/2 IICl. was equivalent to 

 2-83 grms. Na^COj. 



As it was apparent that the sodium was present in the Montanin 

 Wax as sodium moutanate, we determined the percentage of the latter in 

 the wax by the direct method (extraction of non-soapy matter by petroleum- 

 ether). 



1'2500 grm. wax gave 0"9516 grm. extract, corresponding to 23-87 per 

 cent, of sodium salt. If we assume that the mean molecular weight 

 of the acid in Montanin Wax is the same as that (406) already found 

 above for the acid in Montana Wax, and calculate from the ash determina- 

 tion the percentage of sodium montanate in the wax, we find 23 per cent., 

 which agrees approximately with the percentage (23-87) got by direct 

 determination. 



With the same assumption we find from the Acid Number of Montanin 

 Wax (56-9) that the percentage of ' free acid ' in the wax is 41-14, while by 

 subtracting the sum (58-67) of the percentages of unsaponifiable matter (34-8) 



