CHEMICAL PREPARATIONS AND DRUGS. 51 
Chemical Preparations and Drugs. 
Almond Oil, expressed, from apricot kernels. A few statistical data have 
been published about the apricot kernel industry in China’). In 1912, China exported 
44479 piculs, or about 5930500 Ibs., 80 p.c. of which were exported from Tientsin. 
The bulk finds its way to Europe, where Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy 
are the largest buyers. Of the 4801200 Ibs. exported from Tientsin in 1912, 3199400 Ibs. 
were sweet kernels, and 1601800 lbs. were of the bitter variety. The apricots ripen 
in June, the shipping season begins in August and continues through the remainder 
of the year. The apricots from which sweet kernels are obtained are larger than those 
from which come the bitter kernels. These apricots are not edible. 
The cracking of the seeds and extracting of the kernels is all done by hand with 
a wooden hammer, the seeds being first soaked in water to moisten them. Dried 
apricots do not appear to be exported from China. 
Civet. Some years ago we isolated from natural musk a ketone Ci;H2.O or 
CigHs30O, which we called muskone and which is the sole bearer of musk odour’). 
A similar body, equally a ketone, of the composition Ci;H3,0, has now been found in 
civet by E. Sack). He calls this ketone Zibetone (civetone). It possesses a fine 
musk-like odour which is very lasting and clinging. To isolate civetone, Sack boils 
civet for several hours with strong alcoholic potash lye, distils off the alcohol, treats 
the residue with water and extracts the solution with ether. The ether is distilled off 
and thereupon the residue is distilled with steam until no more skatol passes over. 
Again ether extraction is resorted to, the ether again distilled off, at last in vacuo, and 
the remaining oil is then treated with a little alcohol. After renewed filtering the 
filtrate is distilled, at last in vacuo, to eliminate the alcohol. Finally there remains a 
light yellow to brownish black syrup representing about 10 to 15 p.c. of the civet used. 
It shows a pronounced musk odour, but at the same time the characteristic civet or 
animal odour — odeur de bete. Equal parts are now mixed of this extract, of semicar- 
bazide hydrochloride and sodium acetate, along with a little alcohol, the resulting 
mixture being allowed to stand for about 24 hours. The tough mass which results is 
mixed with a lot of water, the strongly oily crystals are separated from the oil by 
filtration and immersed in ligroin (boiling below 100°). In this process the oily particles 
are dissolved, whereas the semicarbazone settles. After a second washing with ligroin 
and drying on a porous tile, and finally on the water-bath, it shows the m. p. 182°. After 
re-crystallization from 96 p.c. alcohol it melts at 187°. By combustion the crude 
formula Ci;H3;ON; was established for the semicarbazone. By treating the semicarb- 
azone with alcoholic sulphuric acid or by heating with concentrated hydrochloric 
acid, civetone may easily be obtained in the pure state. It forms a colourless oil, 
which readily congeals in the pure state to an ice-like crystalline mass, m. p. 32.5°. 
B. p. 204 to 205° (16.5 to 17 mm.); 342° (741.5 mm.). The analytical figures agreed 
with the formula Ci7Hz.0. Civetone readily volatilizes with steam and is indifferent 
toward alkali and acids. It may therefore be obtained from civet by distilling the latter 
with alkali, the distillate being treated with semicarbazide. The oxime melts at 92°. 
1) Perfum. Record 5 (1914), 365. — 7%) Report April 1906, 94. — Walbaum, Journ. f. prakt. Chem. Il. 73 
(1906), 488. — Db. R. P. 198660 of July 15th, 1905. — *) Chem. Ztg. 89 (1915), 538. — Compare D. R. P. 279313. 
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