— 43 — 



Oil of Laurel leaves. Of the constituents of oil of laurel leaves, 

 Wallach 1 ) detected in 1889 pinene and cineol. Ten years later 

 we 2 ) found that eugenol is also present in this oil, whilst H. Thorns 

 and Molle 3 ) demonstrated in 1904 that the oil also contains geraniol 

 and a small quantity of free acids (acetic, butyric, valeric acids) and 

 also esters of acetic, valeric and caproic(?) acids. They further obtained 

 traces of a still unknown acid of the melting point 146 to 147 . On 

 fractional distillation of 500 gr. oil of laurel leaves of our own make, 

 we have now succeeded in detecting two further constituents, viz., 

 linalool and eugenol methyl ether. 



The oil examined had the following constants: — diso 0,930; 

 a D — 1 5 26'. A fraction of the oil boiling at 67 to 85 (4 mm. 

 pressure) had a distinct linalool odour. At ordinary pressure the 

 boiling point lay between 195 to 204 . 



In order to produce the linalool in the pure state, 21 gr. of the 

 fraction were converted with sodium into the alcoholate, and the latter 

 in ethereal solution decomposed with phthalic acid anhydride. After 

 the impurities had been removed by dissolving the acid ester formed 

 in soda, and extracting this solution with ether, there remained behind 

 a solution of sodium linalylphthalate, which on being boiled with 

 caustic potash separated off linalool. The pure linalool thus obtained 

 and distilled in vacuo , had the following properties: boiling point 

 197 to 200 (762 mm. pressure); di 5 o 0,8715; « D — n°5'; n D20° 

 1,46387. The phenyl urethane melted at 65 . On oxidation with 

 chromic acid citral was formed. 



A fraction of the oil of laurel leaves boiling at 240 to 250 was 

 characterised by the odour of methyl eugenol. Although this com- 

 pound could not be obtained in the pure state, veratric acid was 

 obtained on oxidation of this fraction with potassium permanganate, 

 which confirms the presence of eugenol methyl ether. The acid 

 recrystallised from alcohol and water melted at 17 8°. Its silver salt 

 gave the following values on examination: — 



1. 0,2512 gr. of the substance yielded 0,0945 gr. Ag. 

 1. 0,1380 „ „ „ „ „ 0,0515 „ Ag. 



Found Calculated 



C 6 H 3 (OCH 3 ) 2 COOAg. 

 Ag 37,62, 37,33% H 37,37%- 



Lemongrass Oil 4 ). It would appear that Java will in the im- 

 mediate future make competition to the Cochin distillate. Samples 



*) Liebigs Annalen 252 (1889), 95. 



2 ) Report April 1899, 31. 



3 ) Arch, der Pharm. 242 (1904), 161. 



4 ) Report October 1905, 44, read cocoa-nut oil instead of "cocoa-butter". 



