102 



The isomeric oxidation-product of methyl isoeugenol (m. p. 87,5 to 

 88,5°) could be converted after treatment with zinc and soda liquor 

 into a semicarbazone (m. p. 176 to 1 77°), which proved to be identical 

 with the one produced from the other isomeride. — The constitution of 

 asarone is confirmed by its behaviour towards mercuric acetate; in- 

 stead of the glycol, there resulted, with loss of water, the aldehyde 

 C 12 H 16 4 (m. p. 47 to 48 , b. p. 184 [15 mm. pressure]; semi- 

 carbazone, m. p. 157 to 158 ). — By loss of water from the glycols 

 of the propenyl compounds, there are consequently formed the corre- 

 sponding aldehydes, and of two possible formulae R • CH 2 • CH 2 • CHO 

 and R • CH (CH 3 ) • CHO, the former belongs to these. The 

 aldehyde C H 3 O . C 6 H 4 • C H 2 • C H 2 . C H O obtained from anethol 

 glycol, boils at 132 to 135 (10 mm. pressure), its semicarbazone 

 melts at 174 . The aldehyde CH 2 2 . C 6 H 3 • C 2 H 4 . CHO produced 

 from isosafrol glycol boils at 140 to 145 (2 mm. pressure). It yields 

 an oxime (m. p. 89 ) and a semicarbazone (m. p. 15 8°). The boiling 

 point of the aldehyde produced from methyl isoeugenol glycol lies 

 at 146 to 147 , the m. p. of its semicarbazone at 176 to 177 , that 

 of the oxime at 62,5 to 63 °. — The product resulting from the 

 action of mercuric acetate on 1-pinene, zf 6 -6-oxymenthene-2 -one, 

 was identified by its oxime (m. p. 138,5°) and its semicarbazone 

 (m. p. 175 to 1 76°). — The mercury compound from camphene 

 melts at 188 to 189°. The corresponding chlorine compound 

 C 10 H 16 0(HgCl) 2 , becomes pasty towards 150°, but does not yet 

 melt at 230°, and yields again camphene when treated with zinc and 

 soda liquor. 



In April 1 903 *) we had already employed the reaction discovered 

 by Balbiano and Paolini, in order to adopt it if possible for the 

 detection of camphene in essential oils. We regenerated at the time 

 the camphene mercuric acetate by means of sulphuretted hydrogen. 

 Yet the isolation of camphene from Ceylon citronella oil was difficult 

 and incomplete. The melting and boiling points of the distillation- 

 product driven over with water vapour agreed, however, with those 

 of camphene. 



Bibliographical notes. 



With regard to the continuation of I. W. Brand el's 2 ) work: "The 

 Volatile Oils 1904", we may confine ourselves to a simple reference; 

 the essential parts of its contents have already been communicated in 

 our Reports more or less in detail. 



*) Comp. Report April 1903, 84. 



2 ) Pharm. Review 24 (1906), 87 and 112; comp. also Report April 1906, 10 1. 





