NEW PHILIPPINE ESSENTIAL OILS. 



345 



The oil has a faint odor of anise or anethol, which, together with the 

 constants, identifies it almost with certainty as methyl chavicol. For 

 further proof a small portion was oxidized with potassium permanganate 

 to homoanisic acid, melting point, 84° to 86°. 



Since the constants given by Bacon " for the oil from Ocimum sanctum L. 

 differ considerably from those of Clausena, and since the oil from Ocimum was 

 stated to consist largely of methyl chavicol, 83 grams of the latter oil were 

 fraetioned. The results are as follows : 



Temperature. 



Fraction. 



Per cent. 



°C. 



Grams. 





160-205 



15.0 



18.0 



205-215 



43,3 



52.3 



215-225 



16.0 



19.3 



225-235 



3.0 



3.6 



235-250 



2.7 



3.2 



Residue. 



3.0 



3.6 



Therefore, it is evident that the oil from Clausena contains methyl chavicol 

 to the extent of 90 to 95 per cent whereas that from Ocimum sanctum contains 

 only 50 to 60 per cent of this substance. Cineol and linalool are also present in 

 the ocimum oil. 



The first fraction of the oil from Ocimum sanctum, was redistilled and 4 grams 

 of oil boiling from 160° to 180° were obtained. The odor of this fraction was 

 very suggestive of cineol, the presence of which was shown by isolating its 

 characteristic hydrobromide. Tliis substance contributes largely to the odor of 

 the original oil. A portion of this low-boiling fraction was sulphonated to test 

 for cymol, but with negative results. 



Linalool is present in the fraction, weighing about 5.0 grams, which boiled from 

 195° to 205°. The phthalic anhydride method for separating primary alcohols, 

 showed alcohols of this character to be absent, at least in amounts exceeding 

 traces. 



The occurrence of methyl chavicol, especially in such large propor- 

 tions, in one of the Rutaceae is quite novel. 



Bacon ^^ stated that alcoholic extracts of the leaves might be used in 

 the preparation of anisado, large quantities of which are consumed an- 

 nually in the Philippine Islands. As a matter of fact, several aromatic 

 plants are used by the Filipinos for preparing liquors on a very small 

 scale. Both Clausena and ordinary rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, 

 which has been introduced here, are used for this purpose. Certain 

 brands of Philippine cigarettes are said to bo flavored by the addition of 

 small amounts of Clausena leaves. 



Owing to the ease with which methyl chavicol is converted into ane- 



"This Journal, Sec. A (1910), 5, 261. 

 ^' Loc. cit. 



