— 172 — 



examined stereo-isomeride resulted if the work was carried on in diffused 

 daylight, or in the dark. With hydrogen iodide and phosphorus, the 

 pentabromide is reduced into tribromo dihydrosafrol of the m. p. 73 to 74°* 

 Contrary to isosafrol pentabromide, tribromo isosafrol could be split 

 up, by means of alcoholic potash under pressure, into tribromo 

 ethoxy-isoeugenol: C 6 Br%(CH:CH-CH 3 y(OCH 2 .OC 2 H 5 )3(OH) 4 of 

 the m. p. 96 to 99 , which, when heated with very dilute acids, yielded 

 tribromo propenylpyrocatechol in of the m. p. 1 1 1 to 1 13 . Of both 

 bodies the corresponding methyl and acetyl derivatives w r ere produced. 

 The conversions of the bromine atoms in the side-position of the 

 pentabromide were accomplished in the same manner as in the case 

 of the lower-brominated compounds. 



E. Rimini and F. Olivari 1 ) have submitted myristicin and 

 isomyristicin to the action of Bougault's reagent. When employing 

 an alcoholic solution of 12 g. myristicin, on which they allowed 

 to act 7 to 8 g. yellow mercuric oxide and 17 g. iodine, they obtained, 

 after filtering and adding potassium iodide and sodium bisulphite, a 

 colourless oil of the composition C 11 H 13 I0 4 . Two mol. isomyristicin, 

 when treated in an analogous manner with 1 mol. mercuric oxide and 

 4 mol. iodine, also yielded an oily isomeric iodine compound. 



When double the quantity mercuric oxide is employed, isomyristicin 

 yields an oily product, which combines with bisulphite, and yields 

 the semicarbazone of methoxy methylenedioxy hydratropic aldehyde of 

 the m. p. 140 . The aldehyde liberated from this boiled without 

 decomposition at 288 to 290 (ordinary pressure). As on oxidation 

 of isomyristicin in alcoholic solution, large quantities acetal are formed, 

 it is advisable to use ether saturated with water, in place of alcohol. 

 The examinations confirm the view that myristicin and isomyristicin 

 contain an allyl and propenyl chain respectively. 



In connection with earlier work done by Thorns 2 ), O. Rich ter 3 ) gives 

 some brief information on his researches with the object of elucidating 

 the constitution of myristicin and its derivatives. On reducing myristicin 

 with sodium and alcohol, Thorns had obtained two new compounds, 

 viz., dihydromyristicin and a phenol which he converted by methyl- 

 ating into its methyl ether. He assumed that in splitting up 

 isomyristicin, the oxygen atom situated in para-position towards the 

 propenyl-group, is displaced, but he was unable to supply a direct 

 proof in support of this. Rich ter now attacked this problem, by 

 oxidising the unsaturated side-chain of the phenol ether with potassium 



*) Atti R. Accad. dei Lincei, Rome [5] 16, I. 663. Accord, to Chem, Zentralbl, 

 1907, II. 234. 



2 ) Berl. Berichte 36 (1903), 3446; Report April 1904, 67, 



3 ) Bericht d. deutsch. pharm. Ges. 17 (1907), 152, 



