— 16 — 



tion of m. p. when mixed with dipentene tetrabromide. The hydro- 

 carbon from the dihydrochloride with the m. p. 5 2° reacted with 

 nitric oxide, forming terpinene nitrosite, m. p. 155 . The fraction V 

 therefore contains terpinene, but this could only be detected in the 

 hydrocarbon regenerated form the hydrochloride. Oxidation with per- 

 manganate gave an explanation of the problem; 140 g. of the fraction 

 were shaken for several hours with 280 g. potassium hydroxide, 660 g. 

 potassium permanganate, 8 kilos ice and 8 kilos water. The hydrocarbon 

 which was not attacked consisted principally of p-cymene. From the oxid- 

 ation liquors we isolated an erythritol, m. p. 236 to 23 7 , which proved 

 to be identical with that obtained by Wallach 1 ) in the oxidation of 

 terpinene preparations. Wallach is of opinion that this erythritol is 

 formed from Ai^ - menthadiene (y - terpinene). No a, a' - dihydroxy - a - 

 methyl-a'-z^propyladipic acid was detected. Boiled with diluted sulphuric 

 acid, the erythritol gave off water, and a phenol mixture was formed 

 consisting of equal parts of thymol and carvacrol 2 ). Thus we arrive 

 synthetically from thymene to thymol, which latter, as is well known, 

 forms the principal constituent of ajowan oil. 



The fifth principal fraction, therefore, consists mainly of ^-terpinene 

 .and p-cymol only. The non-occurrence of the nitrosite-reaction also 

 agrees with this result, for in Wallach's opinion the terpinene nitro- 

 site is formed from a-terpinene only. On the other hand, Kondakow 3 ) 

 has recently expressed the opinion that the nitrosite is a derivative 

 of 7-terpinene. We will not venture to decide in how far these views 

 are correct: in any case we failed to succeed in isolating terpinene 

 nitrosite. It may be, of course, that the separation of terpinene- 

 nitrosite is prevented by the presence of p-cymene. 



It follows that thymene is mainly made up of p-cymene. Of 

 terpenes, a-pinene, dipentene, and ^-terpinene were found to be present, 

 the latter in the largest proportion. 



Almond Oil, pressed from apricot kernels. Since the publi- 

 cations of our last Report concerning apricot kernels the price remained 

 about at its present level until the month of May, the tendency being 

 firm. At that time, however, the almond prices suddenly began to rush 

 up and the market for apricot kernels followed suit, the quotations for 

 the Damascus variety advancing up to 86 to 88 marks, while Calif ornian 

 apricot kernels advanced as high as 96 to 98 marks. The two chief 

 trading centres, Marseilles and Hamburg, made every effort to reap 

 as much profit as possible from these quotations, but the consumers 



*) See Report November 1908, 174. 



2 ) Comp. Gildemeister and Miiller, Zur Kenntnis der Bestandteile des Citronenols. 

 Wallach Jubilee-publication. Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, Gottingen, 1909. When 

 this publication is issued to the public we propose to revert to its contents. 



3 ) Journ. f. prakt. Chemie II. 79 (1909), 497. See also the present Report, p. 171. 



