August 25, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



287 



concentrated ferric chloride solution, but also 

 compound celluloses, like woody fibers of all kinds, 

 are thus disintegrated. 



The entire subject is being pursued further, par- 

 ticularly as applied to the study of the compound 

 celluloses and the various products that are associa- 

 ated with them in the various woods and woody 

 fibers of different plants. 



Similarly, concentrated solutions of the chlorides 

 of other metals, like those of copper, cobalt, nickel, 

 aluminum, calcium, magnesium, etc., have also 

 been tested as to their solvent action upon cellu- 

 lose. While these have some action upon cellulose, 

 the action is quite slight as compared with that of 

 ferric chloride. The action of ferric chloride upon 

 cellulose, therefore, is a highly specific and unique 

 one. 



This entire subject is being studied further, 

 especially as to its possible practical applications 

 in isolating and utilizing various plant products. 



DIVISION Or INDUSTEIAL CHEMISTS AND CHEMICAL 

 ENGINEERS 



H. E. Howe, Chairman 



S. H. Salisbury, Jr., Secretary 



The Determination of Ash in Coals with a High 



Percentage of Calcium Carbonate: S. W. Pare. 

 The Mechanical Sampling of Illinois Coal: S. W. 



Parr. 

 A New Form of Adidbatic Calorimeter: S. W. 



Pake. 

 Beport on Last Tear's Progress of the Industrial 



Fellowship System of the Mellon Institute: E. 



P. Bacon. 

 An Investigation of Composition Flooring : B. P. 



Bacon and E. E. Shively. 

 A Contribution to the Chemistry of Laundering: 



P£. 6. Elledge. 

 On the Use of Certain Yeast Nutriments in Bread 



Malcing: H. A. Kohman. 

 On Hydrated Lime: J. P. MacKet. 

 On the Prevention of Glass Pot Corrosion: S. E. 



Scholes. 

 On the Behavior of Manganese in Glass: S. E. 



Scholes and E. W. Tillotson. 

 Further Experiments on Volatilization of Plati- 

 num: G. K. Burgess and E. G. Waltenberg. 



This paper is a continuation of previous work 

 on the loss in weight on heating of platinum lab- 

 oratory ware. It is shown that all grades of 

 platinum contain at least traces of iron, that there 

 is no appreciable loss in weight of crucibles 

 heated to 900° C, but that above this temperature 

 the loss increases rapidly with temperature, is 



greatest for platinum containing iridium and least 

 for platinum alloyed with rhodium. 



The Isomeric Lactones, Caryophyllin and JJrson: 



Peancis D. Dodge. 



Caryophyllin (C 10 H w O) n , constituent of clove 

 buds, was thought to be an alcohol, C J0 H 80 (OH) 1 , 

 but the present work indicates that it is more 

 probably an oxy-laetone, G m lijd^ Salts, two 

 mono-acetyl and a diacetyl derivatives have been 

 prepared. Oxidation with nitric acid gives caryo- 

 phyllic acid, CmH^Os; and acetylation of this acid 

 gave an acetyl derivative, m. 210°, probably from 

 an oxy-di-lactone derived from caryophyllic acid 

 by the loss of one molecule of CO. and of H 2 0. 



XJrson, a constituent of bear-berry leaves {TJva 

 Ursi), CmH^Os, is probably an isomer of caryo- 

 phyllin. 



Both lactones give the color-reaction of Lieber- 

 mann for the cholesterol series. 



Tautomeric Equilibrium Constants and Chemical 



Structure. A Measure of Valence in Terms of 



Energy: C. G. Derick. 

 Preparation and Characterization of Trimethylene 



Oxide: D. W. Bissel and C. G. Derick. 



Trimethylene oxide was successfully prepared by 

 two methods. The first used was by the action of 

 trimethylene chlorhydrine on fused potassium hy- 

 droxide at 140°, yield 6-8 per cent. The other 

 method was by the action of the acetate of tri- 

 methylene chlorhydrine upon fused postassium hy- 

 droxide at 100-110°, yield 22 per cent. The oxide 

 is purified by fractional distillation after remov- 

 ing unsaturated products by bromination. Its 

 structure follows from the fact that it yields 

 hexanol-1 with propyl magnesium bromide; and 

 trimethylene chloride with phosphorus penta- 

 chloride. Trimethylene oxide is a colorless, mobile 

 liquid; miseible with water and having a pleasing 

 odor. B. P. 47.8° (corr.) ; D^° 0.893; (N) 25 ° 

 1.389 by Abb6 instrument with ordinary light. 



The Action of Metallic Oxides on Trimethylene 

 Halides and of Beat upon ClCS 2 CS„CS 2 -0-Mg-I : 



E. H. VOLLWBLLER AND C. G. DERICK. 



Lead oxide acts on trimethylene bromide at 200°, 

 giving a substance boiling at 50-60° which con- 

 sists mainly of unsaturated compounds. The yield 

 was poor. A polymer of trimethylene oxide, boil- 

 ing at 180° under 50 mm., is obtained. Its struc- 

 ture follows from the fact that it gives hexanol-1 

 with propyl magnesium bromide. 



Mercuric and silver oxide react similarly, yield- 

 ing no appreciable quantities of monomolecular 

 trimethylene oxide. Trimethylene iodide can not 



