SCIENTIFIC NOTES ON ESSENTIAL OILS. 7 
_atmospheric pressure, the bulk of the oil boiled from 154 to 177°, and from 240 to 260°. 
The lower boiling portions yielded hydrogen haloid addition products which were not — 
obtained in solid form. Under the influence of bromine vapours in the cold evolution 
of hydrogen bromide was observed. After the elimination of the oily parts a body of 
the formula C,H ,Brs was obtained which, on recrystallization from ligroin, melted at 
242°, being probably identical with tribromohemimellithene. Karoly is of opinion that 
this latter body results from the bromination of a dihydrohemimellithol contained in 
the terpene fraction. Inasmuch as in the process of oxidation of the terpene fraction 
i.a. 1,3-dimethylterephthalic acid was obtained, it may be assumed that a dihydro- 
qsodurene is probably present in amber oil. The same treatment applied to the 
sesquiterpene fraction produced a body of the melting point 254 to 256°. By hydration 
of the terpenes, after Bertram and Walbaum, Karoly obtained an alcohol strongly 
resembling borneol but differing from it in the melting point of its hydrogen phthalate 
(118 to 119°). This body is probably identical with the one obtained by Berthelot 
and Buignet') when distilling powdered amber with caustic potash and water. The 
hydrogen phthalate, prepared for comparison purposes from borneol of commerce, 
melted at 164 to 105°. The phenylurethane of the borneol-like alcohol obtained from 
the terpenes melted at 137 to 138°. On being oxidized with chromic acid the terpene 
alcohol yielded what was probably camphor (semicarbazone, m.p. 232°) which was 
converted into camphene by splitting off water. Amber oil, oxidized with a 1 p.c. 
solution of permanganate, yielded an acid which is probably identical with heptoic 
acid. Nitric acid reacts very slowly in the cold, but very energetically when heated, 
_ forming a mixture of two acids, one being terephthalic acid and the other a body most 
likely identical with 1,3-dimethylterephthalic acid. The formation of this acid points 
to the probable presence of a yet unknown 1,2, 3,5-tetramethyldihydrobenzene (dihydro- 
isodurene). From the nitric acid: mother liquor a further acid was obtained, which 
may possibly be identical with 2-nitro-p-toluic acid. — j 
Ambrette (musk) seed Oil. Absolute proof that the solid fatty acid present in 
this oil was identical with palmitic acid®) had not been adduced so far. Recently 
we had an opportunity of establishing this proof. As raw material we used the crude 
acid which had been obtained as a by-product in the manufacture of liquid oil of 
ambrette seeds. As it appeared to be mixed with some other substance (fatty acid 
ester?) it was recrystallized several times from dilute alcohol. The glossy laminae 
melted at 61° and, when mixed with palmitic acid from coco-nut oil, showed no 
depression of the melting point. The silver salt of the acid yielded the following 
values upon incineration: — 
0,3270 g. subst.: 0,0958 g. Ag. 
found 29,30 p.c. calculated for CisHs:AgQO2 29,75 p.c. 
Ammoniacum Oil. Little being known about Ammoniacum oil, we give the. 
following figures of an oil obtained by ourselves (yield 0,19 p.c.): disc 0,8875; 
Oy + 19 37'; Mp0 1,47250; acid v. 3,7; ester v. 40,5; ester v. after acetylation 106,4; 
soluble in 0,5 volume and more of 90 p.c. alcohol. The oil was of a dark yellow 
colour; it had a peculiar and rather unpleasant odour. 
Angelica Oil. About cultivation experiments in Austria, see page 63. 
1) Compt. rend. 50 (1880), 606. — %) Schimmel’s Bericht October 1887, 35. 
