276 A. R. PENFOLD. 



(2) About 20 grams of the safrol were boiled for some 

 hours with concentrated alcoholic potash solution in order 

 to convert it into iso-safrol, and this crude compound was 

 then oxidised with chromic acid in glacial acetic acid 

 solution. 



From the reaction product heliotropine was obtained, 

 which on purification through the bisulphite compound and 

 recrystallisation from alcohol, melted at 37° O. 



Determination of the Sesquiterpenes. — From the liquors 

 remaining after the removal of safrol, and the original 

 residue of 85 ccs. remaining after the fractionation of 600 

 ccs., a mixture of sesquiterpenes was obtained boiling at 

 121 — 145° C. at 10 mm. On repeated fractional distillation 

 over sodium it was resolved into two portions, viz:— 



No. 1. No. 2. 



Boiling point at 10 mm. 125 - 138° O. 140 - 148° C. 

 Specific gravity, 15° C. 0*9723 0'9547 



Optical rotation -2° —1*2° 



Refractive index, 20° O. 1*5130 1*5090 



Neither fraction would give any of the well known deri- 

 vatives for sesquiterpenes, but the colour reactions given 

 by the sesquiterpenes present in the essential oils of the 

 Myrtacese were readily obtained. The author was unable 

 to obtain these sesquiterpenes in anything like a condition 

 of purity. 



Determination of Eugenol and Heliotropine. — The crude 

 oil on treatment with 3 to 5% solutions sodium hydroxide 

 yielded 1£% phenol. On purification it had : — 

 Specific gravity at 15° O. 1*07 

 Refractive index, 20° O. 1*542 

 Gave with ferric chloride in alcoholic solution the 



characteristic blue colouration. 

 Benzoyl compound, melting point 69-70° O. 



These characters confirm the identity of the phenol with 

 eugenol. On treatment with sodium bisulphite solution a 



