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COMMERCIAL NOTES AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION. 81 
revealed a considerable similarity with those of peruviol, we set forth below a com- 
parative table of the constants of the two preparations: — 
Peruviol previous preparation new preparation Nerolidol Nerolidol 
(Thoms) (Schimmel 8 Co.) (Schimmel & Co.) 4) (Hesse and Zeitschel) (Schimmel & Co.) 
B.p. . 139 to 140° f33\° 125 to 127° 128 to 129° 125 074272 
(7 mm.) (7 to 8mm.) | (4mm.) (6 mm.) (4 to 5 mm.) 
ZIO, ton 27i © 
a. = -0,886.(17,52) 00,8819 (15°) 0,8987 (15 °) 0,880 (15°) 0,8801 (15°) 
@ .. about-+139 -+ 13°40’ +. 12° 22’ + 13° 32' + 12° 48’ 
Npx90 - == = 1,48982 a 1,48023 
Our nerolidol preparation was obtained by fractionating the high-boiling constituents 
of neroli oil, after previous saponification. The carefully-purified nerolidol, especially 
that portion of it which had distilled over with steam, had the characteristic, faint but 
pleasant, balsamic odour which appertained to our alcohol isolated from Peru balsam 
oil. Our surmise that both preparations represented the same sesquiterpene alcohol 
was found to be correct. In the course of 3 to 4 weeks, during which the substances 
were allowed to stand, both afforded, with phenylisocyanate, a phenylurethane which, 
when purified from methyl alcohol, melted between 37 and 38°. A mixture of the two 
derivatives suffered no depression of m.p. After prolonged treatment with alcoholic 
potash at a water-bath temperature the alcohol with its characteristic smell was again 
eliminated from it. The combustion-values of the phenylzsocyanate point to a ses- 
quiterpene of the formula Ci; H2.O:— 
0,1522 gr. subst.: 0,4306 gr. COo, 0,1288 gr. H.O, 
0,1773 gr. subst.: 0,5048 gr. CO., 0,1537 gr. H.O. 
f: 2: 
Beund °C. 577,15 77,05 Calc. f. CooH3: NO. 77,42 °/o 
H 9,42 9,64 9,09 %/o, 
Hesse and Zeitschel had already established the same formula by combustion of 
nerolidol. This fact should prove the identity of the two bodies. 
: Now, when the constants of our two preparations (from Peru balsam oil) are 
compared with those of Thoms’ peruviol, and again with those of nerolidol, it will be 
seen that there is a considerable difference in specific gravity, not only between our 
new preparation and peruviol, but also between peruviol and nerolidol, and again 
between our new preparation and nerolidol. But as all these preparations are in good 
concordance so far as their other properties and constants are concerned, it is cer- 
tainly highly probable that they represent one and the same body; contaminated in the 
case of our alcohol from Peru balsam oil (new preparation) by small admixtures of a 
heavier body. We were unable to determine what was the nature of this admixture 
to our preparation. Although the alcohol-fraction yielded a small amount of benzoic 
acid on oxidation with permanganate, there could be no question of benzylalcohol 
(b. p. 78° at 4 mm.), because the fractions following the nerolidol on distilling had a 
higher specific gravity and yielded on oxidation a larger proportion of benzoic acid 
than did the lower-boiling alcohol-fraction, The latter, also, was free from esters. 
Oxidation of the nerolidol-fraction with an insufficient quantity of permanganate merely 
led to an increase of specific gravity; the admixture, therefore, was less easily attacked 
than was nerolidol. Treatment with bisulphite liquor showed the fraction to be free 
from vanillin or other aldehydes. 
1) The nerolidol content of Peru balsam oil does not exceed 2,5 p.c. 
