Notes on scientific research. 81 



nor thujone present in the other fractions above 100°. On the other hand a semi- 

 carbazone melting at 210° was found which Dorronsoro regards as a mixture of 

 fenchone and camphor semicarbazones. The oxime of d-fenchone (white needles, 

 m. p. 156 to 160°) was obtained. The oil contained altogether 46.80 per cent, of ketones 

 (rf-fenchone + camphor, reduction method). A large quantity of cineole was determined 

 by means of the hydrobromic and the phosphoric acid methods. The iodole reaction 

 was doubtful. 



Another sample of oil from Lavandula Stoechas from Malaga gave the following 

 constants: — diso 0.9470; « D -j-45°44'; n D 1.4682; entirely soluble in 90 per cent, alcohol, 

 soluble in 1 vol. 80 per cent, and in 1.5 vol. 70 per cent, alcohol; acid v. 2.25; ester v. 13.43 

 (corresponding to 4.72 per cent, of bornyl acetate) 1 ). 



The Thyme Oils manufactured in Spain come from different species which Bias 

 Lazaro identifies as Thymus vulgaris, L., Thymus Zygis, L., Thymus hyemalis, Lg. and 

 Corydothymus capitatus. Rchb. Since the products obtained from the thyme species 

 contained much less phenol bodies than the oil from the corydothymus, we should 

 have to distinguish two main classes of Spanish thyme oils. The oils poor in phenols 

 are not so much sought after as those rich in phenols. For that reason the manu- 

 facturers, especially in Andalusia, mix the two sorts in order to prepare an average quality 

 of 40 per cent, of phenols. The thyme oil is, however, often blended also with sage oils. 



Dorronsoro studied three oils of thyme species from Albunuelas and Jaen and 

 eight oils of the corydothymus from Granada, Cadiz, Malaga and Cordoba and found 

 for the former the density constants di 5 o 0.908 to 0.917 and phenol contents of 34 to 

 38 per cent. The latter had the specific gravity di 5o 0.9343 to 0.9847 and phenol contents 

 of 64 to 67.5 per cent. 



In this connection we may draw attention to a publication by E. J. Parry 2 ). Parry 

 accentuates that six Spanish typical thyme oils which he investigated contained thymol, 

 but no carvacrol. So far carvacrol had frequently been found to be the main con- 

 stituent of Spanish thyme oils. Parry believes that the continuously-increasing demand 

 for Spanish oils has induced the manufactures to lay more stress upon the supply of 

 an unobjectionable uniform raw material. Formerly the Spanish products had mostly 

 been distillates of more than one kind of plant. 



In investigating the oil of Thymus Mastichina. L., in Spain called Mejorena silvestre, 

 Dorronsoro observed that another species of thyme which thrives in Almeria, Thymus 

 cephalotus. L., gave an essential oil of quite similar properties. Four oils of Thymus 

 Mastichina from Albunuelas, Malaga and Granada had the following constants: — 

 d 15o 0.915 to 0.9168; « D15 o + 2° 22' to + 4° 14'; n D15 o 1.4640 to 1.4693; -acid v. 0.3 to 1.4; 

 ester v. 8.32 to 19.7; ester v. after acetyl. 49.30 to 54.5; ester (linalyl acetate) 2.91 to 

 6.90 per cent.; total alcohol 14.07 to 11.18 per cent; soluble in 90 per cent, alcohol, 

 soluble in 1 to 1.3 vol. 80 per cent, alcohol, soluble in 2 to 3.5 vol. (with 12 vol. 

 turbidity) 70 per cent, alcohol; cineole contents (resorcinol method) 60 to 62 per cent. 

 In an oil from Thymus cephalotus from Almeria the following constants were found: — 

 d 15 o 0.916; « D15 o-f 4° 14'; n D150 1.4690; acid v. 0.5; ester v. 7.74; ester v. after acetyl. 50.4; 

 ester (linalyl acetate) 2.72 per cent.; total alcohol 12.12 per cent; soluble in 2.5 vol. 

 70 per cent, alcohol; cineole (resorcinol method) 60 per cent. 



Under the name of "Tomillo limonero" a labiate, smelling of lemon oil, is known 

 in Spain which Lazaro identified as Thymus hirtus, Willd. We investigated the essential 



*) The rotation to the right suggests that Dorronsoro dealt with oils of Lavandula dentata; for the oil 

 of L. Stoechas is, according to our observations, Iaevorotatory. — 2 ) Perfiim. Record 11 (1920), 139. 



6 



