On the Formation of Rosolic Acid and Rosaniline. 127 



published an account of some researches upon a red colouring- 

 matter which had been formed by the contact of lime with 

 carbolic acid used in the manufacture of M c DougalFs disin- 

 fectants. This red colour was due to the presence of rosolates ; 

 and its artificial preparation was first attempted by passing 

 vapour of carbolic acid over heated lime, and then more success- 

 fully by heating phenylate of sodium with peroxide of manganese. 

 In this case large quantities of rosolate of sodium were readily 

 obtained. 



Dussart* investigated the properties of rosolic acid, arriving 

 at the same results as H. M tiller. He moreover found that 

 when rosolic acid is distilled with excess of lime and potash, 

 carbolic acid is regenerated. 



Jourdinf proved that rosolic acid could be easily obtained 

 by heating a mixture of carbolic acid and oxide of mercury with 

 caustic soda. At a temperature not exceeding 150° C, the re- 

 action is quickly accomplished, and an abundance of pure 

 rosolate of sodium is obtained. He mentions besides the forma- 

 tion of rosolic acid by treatment of carbolic acid with mercuric 

 chloride. In this instance the elimination of a large amount of 

 hydrochloric acid was observed. 



F. FolJ found that "bisulphate of mercury produced with 

 phenol a reddish-brown resinous matter, yielding with alkalies 

 very soft red and rose colours, and by itself dyeing yellow/'' He 

 further studied the action of arsenic acid upon " phenic or cres- 

 sylic acid or other analogous substances," and observed the for- 

 mation of a yellow colouring-matter, for which he proposed the 

 name " xanthophenic acid," which, however, presented most of 

 the well- marked characters of rosolic acid. Schiitzenberger 

 and Sengenwald§ noticed the formation of rosolates during the 

 heating of the substitution-products which they obtained by the 

 action of chloride of iodine upon phenylic alcohol. 



All these processes for the production of rosolic acid are pro- 

 cesses of oxidation more or less direct. There is, however, 

 another class of processes in which, besides an oxidation-action, 

 there appears to be an action of a carbon-compound. To these 

 belongs the process of Monnet||, who treated sulphophenylic 

 acid with iodide of amyle at 130° C, and obtained a yellow 

 colouring-matter, bearing a striking resemblance to rosolic acid. 



Perkin and Duppa*[[ found " that, when phenic and brom- 



* Rupert, de Chim. Appl. vol. i.. p. 207. 

 t Repert.de Chim. Appl. 1861, p. 218. 

 X Chemical News, vol. vi. p. 85. 

 § Comptes Rendus, vol. liv. p. 197. 

 || Bull. Mulhouse, 1861, p. 464. 

 IT Chem. News, 1861, p. 351. 



