— 62 — 
Petitgrain Oil. In November last year the report was circulated, 
that negotiations were being carried on between the distillers in Paraguay 
for the formation of a ''ring", in order to monopolise the production, 
and as a consequence a prospect was held out of higher prices. But 
as we learn from a reliable source, this syndicate has not succeeded 
on account of the opposition from one of the oldest and most important 
producers, and the situation will therefore practically remain as before. 
The export of petitgrain oil from Paraguay amounted in 1901 to 
17044 kilos, value 25566 gold pesos (i peso = 4 s.). The quantity 
as given may agree with the facts, but the value is placed much too 
low, which shows once more that statistical figures have only a com- 
parative value. 
It might be assumed that the geraniol-like alcohol, designated by 
Hesse and Zeitschel as nerol, also occurs in petitgrain oil which is 
closely related to neroli oil. von Soden and Zeitschel^) have 
meanwhile produced from saponified petitgrain oil, by treatment with 
phthalic anhydride and calcium chloride, a fraction which had the 
properties mentioned by Hesse and Zeitschel. It is stated that 
petitgrain oil contains about 2 per cent, of this body. The boiling point 
of the preparation which in the opinion of the authors is now only 
contaminated with about 10 to 15 per cent, geraniol, is given by them 
as 225° to 227°, at atmospheric pressure; aj^ = 0°, d = 0,880. 
The odour is said to be decidedly fresher than that of geraniol. The 
compound absorbs 4 atoms bromine. Boiled with acetic anhydride, it 
yields quantitatively an ester having an odour resembling that of 
geranyl acetate. The boiling point of the ester at 25 mm is 134°; 
d — 0,917. 
The formate is formed in the cold when a mixture is made with 
concentrated formic acid; it has an odour like geranyl formate. Boiling 
point 119° to 121°, at 25 mm; d = o,928. 
These compounds are naturally not uniform bodies, but contaminated 
with the corresponding esters of geraniol. It is suspected that nerol, 
along with geraniol, is present in most oils which contain the last-named 
body, von Soden and Zeitschel do not state on what grounds 
they assume that the admixture of geraniol in the preparation produced 
by them amounts to only 10 to 15 per cent. 
As we have also occupied ourselves since some time with the 
examination of petitgrain oil (see our Report of October 1902, page 68) 
we have, in isolating the alcohols which are present in this oil, also 
directed our attention particularly to the separation of a compound 
having the properties of nerol, from the geraniol fraction of this oil. 
^) Berliner Berichte 36 (1903), 265. 
