CRYSTALLINE DEPOSIT OCCURRING IN TIMBER. 193 



and green colorations given by the vapour to pine wood 



moistened with hydrochloric acid, is to consider the side 



chain as consisting of furfurane. This is attached to the 



nucleus by the P' carbon atom, the double bond broken, 



the valency completed by one hydrogen attached to one 



/5 carbon atom, and a hydroxyl group to the other. The 



alternative structure for furfurane with only one double 



linkage answers the requirements better than the usually 



accepted form. If this arrangement is eventually found 



to be the correct one, then gmelinol is dimethyoxyphenyl- 



/3/3'-hydro-oxy furfurane, and has the following structure: — 



H 

 H 2 0— C 



I I > 

 HO'O— C 

 I H 

 



OOOH 



The positions of the nitro groups in the dinitro compound 

 are evident. 



The characteristic features of gmelinol may, for con- 

 venience, be summarised as follows: — Melting point of 

 crystals 122° O. (cor.); of fused substance 62-63°. Needle 

 prisms or plates from hot water. Moderately soluble in boil- 

 ing water, but little soluble in cold water. Almost insoluble 

 in ether and in benzene. Insoluble in alkalis. Soluble in 

 nitric acid with yellow colour and formation of a dinitro 

 compound. Soluble in concentrated sulphuric acid with a 

 deep red colour. Forms a dark brown amorphous substance 

 when heated with hydrochloric acid. Specific rotation in 

 chloroform [a] D = + 123*3°. Chromic acid in acetic acid 

 produces dimethylprotocatechuic acid (veratric acid); 



M— Nov. 6, 1912. 



