542 . M. Scheuch on Eugetinic Acid. 



substance has the formula C 20 H 12 O 4 ; it contains two atoms of 

 hydrogen less, and two atoms of oxygen more than thymylic 

 alcohol. The eugenic acid was prepared by boiling oil of cloves 

 with caustic soda to expel hydrocarbons, precipitation with 

 hydrochloric acid, and rectification of the oil thus separated. 

 Scheuch found that the eugenic acid thus prepared contained 

 salicylic acid, from which it was separated by treatment with 

 ammonia. 



About 50 grammes of the purified oil were placed in a retort 

 and a rapid current of carbonic acid passed through it, while 

 about 3 grammes of sodium were added ; the mixture was finally 

 somewhat heated to complete the reaction. The product solidi- 

 fied on subsequent cooling to a mass consisting of undecom- 

 posed eugenic acid, the soda- salt of a new acid, eugetinic acid, 

 NaO, C 22 H U O 7 , and of the soda-salt of an isomeric acid analo- 

 gous in its composition to carbovinic acid. This is treated with 

 hydrochloric acid, which liberates eugenic acid, and decomposes 

 the carboeugenic acid into carbonic acid and eugenic acid, chlo- 

 ride of sodium being formed. The eugenic acid separates as 

 oil and is removed, while the eugetinic acid remains in solution. 

 On treating this liquid with carbonate of ammonia, then adding 

 hydrochloric acid, shaking with ether, the eugetinic acid is dis- 

 solved out. On subsequently evaporating the etherial solution 

 and crystallizing the residue from hot water, the new acid is 

 obtained m long, thin, colourless prisms, which melt at 124° C. 

 The formation of the acid may be thus expressed : — 



C 20 H 12 O 4 -fNa + C 2 b 4 =NaO,C 22 H n O 7 4-H. 



Eugenic acid. Eugetinate of soda. 



By heating Arragonite in an iron crucible made as air-tight 

 as possible, and by heating lithographic stone or chalk in a 

 porcelain vessel with a ground stopper, G. Rose*, in conjunction 

 with Dr. Siemens, has succeeded in producing marble, thus suc- 

 cessfully repeating Sir J. Hair's well-known experiment. The 

 marble prepared from Arragonite was especially distinct, and 

 closely resembled Carrara marble. 



Wohler long ago observed that phosphorous acid imparted to 

 the flame of hydrogen a characteristic pale green tint; Dusart has 

 observed that this is the case with phosphorus ; and Blondlot on 

 these facts has based methods for the toxicological investigation 

 of phosphorus. Christofle and Beilstein* have investigated this 

 reaction by means of the spectroscope. 



In a flask about a litre in capacity, the neck of which was 



* Berliner Monatsbericht, December 1862. 

 f .. f Compies Uendus, March 2, 1863. 



