. THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



A. General Science 



Vol. Ill APKIL, 1908 No. 2 



PHILIPPINE TERPENES AND ESSENTIAL OILS, 



By Raymond F. Bacon. 

 {From the Chemical Division, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 



INTEODUCTION. 



The Philippines, like all tropical countrieg, are very rich in plants 

 jjroducing resins, terpenes and essential oils, and this laboratory has been 

 engaged in studying certain of these for the past three years. The 

 identification of the various products from Manila eleini and a study of 

 the physical constants of the terpenes derived therefrom have already been 

 reported on by Clover ' vi'ho has also recorded a few notes on resins 

 containing sesquiterpenes.- It vi^as shown b}^ Clover that Manila elemi 

 on distillation yields 15 to 20 per cent of terpenes, and that by selecting 

 resins from individual trees it was possible to obtain a sujDply of these 

 in a pure state, those most frequently found being cZ-limonene and d- 

 phellandrene. The resin remaining after the terpene is distilled off is 

 a dark, amber colored, semisolid product, readily soluble in organic sol- 

 vents, and exp)eriments show beyond doubt that it would be a satisfac- 

 tory raw material for preparing varnishes. The volatile oils derived from 

 Manila elemi are valuable for many purijoses for which ordinary turf)en- 

 tine is used. However, it was thought that chemical studies on these 

 terpenes might develop more valuable uses to which they could be 

 applied, apart from the large scientific interest which their study pos- 

 sesses; thus a broader applicability of these oils might result and the 

 whole Philippine resin industry be advanced. 



' This Journ., Sec. A., Gen. Sci. (1907), 2, 1. 



'Ibid. 1, 191. A large amount of experimental material lias since been 

 accumulated by this Bureau on the subject of some of the native resins. 



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