— 194 — 



sesquiterpenes (di 5 o 1,001; [<*] D + 15°29') from which it is notoriously 

 difficult to obtain cedrol crystals. After being combined with potassium 

 and after decomposition of the potassium sesquiterpene alcoholate with 

 steam, cedrol readily separated out in the crystalline form. The carrying-out 

 of this process, however, occupied several weeks, but a much better 

 result was obtained after purification by way of the xanthogenic ester, 

 when crystallisation took place at once, pure cedar-camphor, m. p. 86°, 

 being formed. 



It was impossible to decide whether the constitution of santalol had 

 undergone a change during the xanthogenate treatment. The only change 

 which could be observed was in the optical activity, which was — 17° 43' 

 before, and — 5° after, the treatment. 



In the case of cryptomeriol, crystals of isocryptomeriol could only be 

 obtained by the xanthogenate method. Other methods, such as distillation 

 by steam under pressure, cooling in an ice-chest or with solid carbon 

 dioxide, or the treatment with acetone of the potassium compounds of 

 the three sesquiterpene alcohols mentioned above, did not result in any 

 perceptible change. 



On the occurrence of farnesol in cananga oil see p. 30. 



Cinnamic alcohol. In our last April Report we referred to a re- 

 action of cinnamyl chloride with nitrate of silver carried out by Dupont 

 and Labaune 1 ), of which the authors were unable to give any definite 

 results at the time. Since then, however, they have further investigated 

 the reaction, and the result of their investigations is published in the last 

 Report of Roure-Bertrand Fils 2 ). The action of alcoholic solution of silver 

 nitrate upon cinnamyl chloride gives rise to cinnamic alcohol, «-phenyl- 

 allyl alcohol and the ethyl ethers of both these bodies. Hence, there 

 takes place on the one hand a transposition in which the primary alcohol 

 is converted into a secondary alcohol (cinnamic alcohol — >- «-phenyl- 

 allyl alcohol) while on the other, ethyl ethers are formed: — 



Ce H5 • CH : CH • CH2 OC2 H5 Ce H5 • CH • CH : CH2 



Cinnamyl ethyl ether. qp j, 



a-Phenylallyl ethyl ether. 



Aldehydes. 



As mentioned by us some years ago, Harries and Langheld 3 ), by 

 ozonising oenanthic aldehyde, obtained a highly labile peroxide-like body 



*) Berichte von Roure-Bertrand Fils October 1909, 34; Report April 1910, 172. 



2 ) Berichte von Roure-Bertrand fils April 1910, 38. 



3 ) Liebigs Annalen 343 (1906), 352; Report April 1906, 98. 



