— 96 — 



of regular users of this splendid substitute who formerly absolutely re- 

 fused to have anything to do with it, it may be confidently anticipated 

 that this article will continue to grow in favour, no matter whether the 

 prices of true neroli oil rise or fall. In the matter of uniformity of quality 

 our artificial neroli oil is decidedly superior to the natural oil. 



Nigella Oil. Damasceninic acid, a derivative of damascenine, which is 

 a constituent of nigella oil, has been obtained synthetically by A. J. Ewins 1 ) 

 from m-hydroxybenzoic acid by a series of reactions represented below. 

 As Keller 2 ) has shown that it is possible to convert damasceninic acid 

 into damascenine, it follows that the last-named body may be prepared 

 synthetically by Ewins' method. 



OH OCH 3 OCH3 OCH3 OCH3 



)N0 2 



COOH I /C0 2 H 



C0 2 H 



NH 2 

 C0 2 H 



NHCH 3 

 C0 2 H 



m-Hydroxybenzoic Damasceninic 



acid. acid. 



Nutmeg oil. There has been no lack of nutmegs rich in oil and 

 suitable for distilling purposes. We have again worked up several large 

 parcels and have thus been in a position to replenish our stocks, which 

 had been greatly depleted by brisk sales during the months of November 

 and December, and particularly by large orders from the United States. 



Nutmeg'tree Bark Oil. At Buitenzorg 3 ) the sap. v. of this oil 

 (which has been mentioned by us on a previous occasion) 4 ) has been 

 determined at 14; ester v. after acet. 37,5. The oil contained no aldehydes. 



Oil of Ocimum sanctum. Some time ago we stated 5 ) that, according 

 to Bacon, the oil of Ocimum sanctum, L. contains considerable quantities 

 methylchavicol. Brooks 6 ), who has recently investigated the product, also 

 found methylchavicol to be its principal constituent (50 to 60°/o), besides 

 which he found cineole and linalool present. The cineole afforded the 

 characteristic hydrobromic acid compound. 



Origanum Oil. An oil of Origanum hirtum, Link., which shows a 

 marked similarity to an oil from the same parent plant which has been 

 examined by us 7 ), is described by S. S. Pickles 8 ). The raw material, which 



*) Proceed, chem. Soc. 27 (1911), 277. 



«) Comp. Report April 1908, 73. 



3 ) Jaarb. dep. landb. in Ned. -Indie, Batavia 1910, 49. 



*) Report April 1911, 83. 



6 ) Report April 1911, 83. 



6 ) Philippine Journ. of Sc. 6, A. (1911), 345. 



7 ) Report October 1911, 63. 



8 ) Proceed, chem. Soc. 27 (1911), 284. See also Bull. Imp. Inst. 9 (1911), 388. 



