84 Report of Schimmel $ Co. April 1913. 



made good quite soon, but all the same we do not anticipate that prices will again 

 be reduced on that account. 



Pine-needle oil from Abies pedinata, which on account of its fine odour plays a 

 prominent part in the manufacture of "air purifiers", used as sprays in dwelling-houses, 

 has been available in sufficient quantities, although we understand that its production 

 in the forest-areas of Lower Austria is on the decrease. Oil from the cones of Abies 

 pedinata (01. templinum) has only been offered in very moderate quantities, but the 

 supplies are not out of proportion to the demand, and consequently there has been 

 no occasion for any alterations in the price. 



Oil of Primula officinalis. Some years ago we referred to an investigation 

 conducted by A. Goris and M. Mascre 1 ), according to which the root of the primrose 

 species, Primula officinalis, Jacq., contains the glucosides primverin and primulaverin, 

 as well as the ferment primverase. The authors, in collaboration with C. Vischniac 2 ), 

 have continued their investigations and have obtained the interesting results set forth 

 below. The best method of isolating the glucosides from the root is as follows: for the 

 purpose of destroying the ferment contained in them, the roots are first placed in an 

 autoclave and exposed to the action of alcohol-vapour at 105 to 110° for from 5 to 

 10 minutes. Having thus been "stabilised" the root is powdered and treated with boiling 

 acetone in the presence of calcium carbonate. The acetone-extract is then evaporated, 

 the residue dissolved in water and the aqueous solution shaken with ether until the 

 latter has ceased to acquire colour. The water is evaporated in vacuo and the residue 

 treated with a mixture of 9 parts anhydrous acetic ester and 10 parts 95 p. c. alcohol. 

 The greater part of the glucosides is dissolved out by this manipulation. The residual 

 portions of the extract may again be extracted with alcoholic acetic ester after being 

 treated with acetate of lead, further quantities of the glucosides being obtained by this 

 method. The authors succeeded in separating the two glucosides by means of repeated 

 successive washings-out with 95 p. c. alcohol and anhydrous acetic ester. The average 

 yield of 1000 grams of green root was 1 gram = 0,1 p. c. of crude glucoside-mixture. 

 From this mixture they were able to isolate from 20 to 25 p. c. primverin and from 10 

 to 15 p. c. primulaverin. The rest consists of intermediary products, with the complete 

 resolution of which the authors have not occupied themselves up to the present. The 

 extraction is incomplete, inasmuch as the essential -oil yield of the green root is 

 0,08 p. c, which corresponds to 0,2 p. c. of glucosides. 



The root of Primula Keivensis, Hort, compared with the green substance, yielded 

 0,2 p. c. glucosides of identical properties with those of the first-named species. 



Primverin is a glucoside C 2 oH2 8 Oi 3 , forming anhydrous crystals, and liquefying at 

 203 to 204° on the Bloc Maquenne, with a corresponding m. p. of 206°. [«] D — 71,53°. 

 The previously given characters, viz., m. p. 172°, [«] D — 60,24° are incorrect, but the 

 small quantity of experimental material available at the time when these data were 

 given precluded any thoroughgoing separation. When hydrolysed with acids 1 molecule 

 of primverin yields 2 molecules of monoses and 1 molecule of j?-methylether-/?-methyl- 

 resorcylate. It was impossible further to identify the monoses; they occur in the 

 primverin molecule in the form of a biose, which splits up when treated with acid. The 

 biose can only be split off from the glucoside by biological treatment, with the aid 

 of primverase. It is as yet unknown, and has been called primverose by the authors. 

 The two monoses referred to above are probably a pentose and a hexose. 



x ) Compt. rend. 149 (1909), 947; Report April 1910, 161. — 2 ) Berichte von Roure-Bertrand Fils, October 

 1912, 3. — Bull. Sciences Pharmacol. 14 (1912), 577. 



