20 
Method of producing safrol. 
In order to obtain safrol from red camphor oil, it is submitted to 
fractional distillation, and the portions in the neighbourhood of the 
boiling point of safrol, which have high specific gravities, are collected. 
Their temperature is then considerably reduced, until rhombic transparent 
crystals separate out, which in a strongly cooled room are collected 
on a filter for the purpose of separating them from the mother liquor. 
These safrol crystals are liquefied in shallow dishes by means of 
heat, and re-crystallised in the cold; this is repeated several times. 
The crude camphor oil used for my experiment had the specific 
gravity, at I5^C, of 1,0165; of 100 parts oil, 4,08 parts distilled over 
up to 225°; 22,53 parts between 225° and 230°, 23,72 parts be- 
tween 230° and 235°, and 14,83 parts between 235° and 240°. 
The fractions 225° to 230°, 230° to 235°, and 235° to 240°, 
were placed in three different dishes, cooled with ice, and then placed 
in a freezing mixture. When the crystals separate out, they are filtered 
off in a cold room and repeatedly re-crystallised. 11 250 cc red 
camphor oil yielded 2340,1 grams (about 21 per cent). The examination 
gave the following results: — 
Colourless, rhombic crystals, or a colourless transparent liquid, 
specific gravity 1,107° 15° C. Boils at 230° to 235°; when cooled 
to — 20°, white aggregates of crystals are formed which do not yet 
melt at -|-I2°. Dissolves very readily in 2 to 5 drops alcohol, chloroform 
or ethyl ether. In sulphuric acid it dissolves with a violet-red, in nitric 
acid with a deep red colour. 
The results of the examinations of safrol preparations made by me 
up to the present, are as follows: — 
Nature 
Colour 
Spec. grav. 
Fraction boiling 
betwen 
230—235° in % 
Con- 
gealing 
point 
Melting 
point 
Imported product 
Camphor monopoly 
Schimmel & Co. 
Prepared by myself 
almost colourless 
colourless 
5) 
9» 
11 
1,0985 (28°) 
1,1040 (15°) 
1,1050 (15°) 
1,1048 (15°) 
1,1065 (15°) 
1,1060 (15°) 
1,1070 (15°) 
89,00 
87,14 
95,00 
96,80 
96,20 
1 1 
1 1 8 1 8 1 1 
0 0 
+ 10° 
-0 a + 
For these examinations I had only 10 grams of No. I and II at 
my disposal, which was not sufficient for a more detailed test. 
According to Schimmel & Co.'s Report, safrol is a colourless to 
faint-yellowish liquid, having the specific gravity 1,108 (15°); boiling 
