— 107 — ■ 



From a reprint received by us from Mr. M. Greshoff 1 ), we 

 abstract a summary of those plants in which up to the present prussic 

 acid has been detected. It is found in numerous families of the 

 polypetales and gamopetales, whilst it could only be detected in a few 

 families of mono chlamy doe , monocotyledones , and gymnospermae. In the 

 cryptogamoe only one family comes up to the present under consideration, 

 and of that only one case in which the detection of prussic acid can 

 be accepted as beyond doubt. 



Hydrocarbons. 



F. W. Kay and W. H. Perkin jun. 2 ) continue their experiments 

 on the synthesis of terpenes (part VIII), with the synthesis of 

 the optically active modifications of zJ 3 -p-menthenol-8 and Zl3 } 8(9)- 

 menthadiene. The crude product for the former was the ethyl ester 

 of zJ 1 -tetrahydro-p-toluic acid, which, when treated with the theoretical 

 quantity of magnesium methyl iodide, and then decomposed with water 

 and dilute acid, is converted into l-zf 3 -p-menthenol-8, 



CH 3 .CH< )CC(CH 3 ) 2 .OH 



b. p. ioo° at 14 mm. pressure; «d — 67 . If the latter is treated 

 with potassium bisulphate, a partial racemism takes place and there is 

 formed l-Z^s^-p-menthadiene, 



/ CH 2 — CHv \ ^ CH 2 



CH 3 .CH( JQ-C^ 



\CH 2 -CH/ X CH 3 



with a dipentene - like odour, b. p. 185 at 748 mm. pressure; 

 Wd — io,o° (benzene solution). Pure d-zl3 } 8(9)-p-rcienthadiene was 

 produced by the direct action of magnesium methyl iodide in excess 

 on the d- ester without potassium bisulphate; it boils at 184 to 186 

 at 756 mm. pressure, and possesses a limonene-like odour; [a] D -f-98,2° 

 (benzene solution). 



Pinene. In his researches on the pinene series, Wallach 3 ) has 

 on the one hand produced the ketone corresponding to nitrosopinene, 

 and on the other hand cleared up the constitution of pinocarvone 4 ). 

 By reducing nitrosopinene there is formed pinylamine, C 10 H 15 NH 2 , 

 and, by treating the latter with nitrous acid, pinocarveol, C 10 H 15 OH, 

 (b. p. 100 to 102 [12 mm. pressure]; d 0,980; n mso 1,4988). On 



x ) British Association, York, 1906. Distribution of Prussic Acid in the Vegetable 

 Kingdom. 



2 ) Journ. chem. Soc. 88 (1906), 839; Proceed, chem. Soc. 22 (1906), 72; 

 comp. Reports October 1904, 97, Oct"ber 1905, 90, 92, April 1906, 119. 



8 ) Liebig's Annalen 346 (1906), 220. 



4 ) Liebigs Annalen 277 (1893), H9J 279 (1894), 387; 300 (1898), 286; 

 comp. also Report October 1898, 47. 



