598 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVI. No. 1198 



amino group and a methyl ester of a Aj unsatu- 

 rated acid containing a gem methyl. Neither of 

 these compounds has been found, but, instead, at 

 least six compounds involving rearrangements. 

 Our results show that the methyl ether and methyl 

 ester of eis-camphonolie acid and the methyl esters 

 of lauronolic acid, 1, 2, 2, trimethyl 1-earboxy 

 eyclopentene-4, cis 1, 2, 3 trimethyl 2-hydroxy 1- 

 eyclopentanoic acid, and a secondary /3-hydroxy 

 acid are formed. The method of preparing the 

 materials and a more detailed discussion of the 

 work are reserved for publication in the Jour. 

 Amer. Chem. Soo. 



The synthesis of certain terpene homologs from 

 1, 4-diisopropyl cyclohexane : M. T. Bogert and C. 

 P. Harris. Three new homologs of the terpenes 

 have been prepared from 1, 4-diisopropyl cyclohex- 

 ane. These new terpene bodies contain two olefin 

 side chains in para position and represent hydro- 

 carbons of a somewhat different type from any 

 hitherto described. One is a derivative of an ordi- 

 nary benzene nucleus, one of a dihydro- and the 

 other of a tetrahydro benzene nucleus. Various 

 properties of these substances are described. 



Further studies of o-uraminoienzoic acid, 

 ienzoylene urea and related compounds: M. T. 

 Bogert and G. Scatchard. Experiments are re- 

 corded with 5-nitro anthranilic acid, o-uranimo- 

 benzoic acid, dinitro uranimobenzoic acid, benzoy- 

 lene urea and various derivatives of the above. 



The synthesis of certain substituted pyrogallol 

 ethers derived from syringic acid: M. T. Bogert 

 and J. Ehrlich. These new compounds include a 

 dimethoxy phenacetine whose physiological proper- 

 ties are now being studied at the College of Physi- 

 cians and Surgeons, and which is at least no more 

 toxic than ordinary phenacetine, and possibly less 

 so; and also a homoantiarol, which is of interest 

 from the fact that it is a homolog of the so-called 

 antiarol isolated from antiaris toxicaria. 



A substance which in the liquid phase exhibits 

 a minimum of solubility in an unstable region: M. 

 T. Bogert and J. Ehrlich. A study of the solu- 

 bilities in water of monohydrate of 2.6-dimethoxy- 

 aeetphenetidide discloses the interesting fact that 

 the liquid hydrate is unique in that it exhibits a 

 minimum of solubility in an unstable region. 



The identity of oyanuric acid with the so-called 

 "tetracarbonimide" : E. H. Walters and Louis 

 E. Wise. The so-called "tetracarbonimide" pre- 

 pared by Scholtz by the oxidation of uric acid in 

 alkaline solution with hydrogen peroxide is in fact 



cyanuric acid. A nitrogenous compound isolated 

 from a number of soils and believed at first to be 

 tetracarbonimide has been shown to be cyanuric 

 acid. Cyanuric acid has been isolated from tlie 

 following soils: (1) 12 samples of sandy soils 

 taken from different locations in Plorida; (2) 

 Norfolk sandy loam from Virginia; (3) lawn soil 

 from the grounds of the U. 8. Department of 

 Agriculture, Washington, D. C. ; (4) Elkton silt 

 loam from Maryland; (5) Scottsburg silt loam 

 from Indiana; (6) Caribou loam from Maine, 

 and (7) a Susquehanna fine sandy loam from 

 Texas. It is apparent that cyanuric acid or its 

 precursor is widely distributed in soil. 



Vse of pru-ssic acid in glacial acetic acid: 

 J. R. Bailey and E. H. Pritchett. Preparation 

 of benzalhydrazinophenylacetonitrile, CsHjCH = 

 N— NHCH(C6H5)CN, by treatment of benzalazine, 

 CsHsCH = N— N = CHCsHj, in gfcicial acetic acid 

 with solid KCN. Benzalhydrazinophenylaceta- 

 mide, made from the nitrile, adds on HONO, giv- 

 ing benzalearbamylhydrazinophenylaeetamide, 



CoH.CH = N— N ( CONH2) CH ( CM,) CONH,, 



which can be converted to l-benzalamino-5-phenyl- 

 hydantoin, 



C(,H„CH = N— N CH— CeHj 



CO CO 



\h/ 



By eliminating benzaldehyde from the latter sub- 

 stance l-amino-5-phenylhydantoin, 



NH,— N CH— C^H, 



CO CO 



NH, is obtained. 



Testing of nitrocellulose materials: H. C. P. 

 Weber. A report of work done at the Bureau of 

 Standards in connection with the stability, par- 

 ticularly on cellulose plastics (such as celluloid, 

 pyrolin) although reference is made to explosives. 

 The limits of decomposition, its rate and character, 

 the products resulting, inflammability, explosiveness 

 are taken up with a view to defining the conditions 

 under which such materials become a source of 

 danger. Charts showing the results graphically 

 are given. With the exception of a report pub- 

 lished some time ago in a foreign country, very 

 little comprehensive work on this particular phase 

 is available. A government bulletin covering this 

 matter is in preparation. 



(To be continued) 



