— 75 — 
Extract of tuberose- blossoms is a brown salve-like mass, which, 
like all pure blossom-extracts, consists chiefly of wax and paraffin-like 
substances which have no value for the odour. 
In order to obtain from this the essential oil, lOO g extract were 
distilled out with water vapour, whereby a milky, turbid, w^atery distillate 
was obtained. The essential oil extracted with ether from this distillate 
after addition of common salt, had the characteristic odour of the tuberose, 
and showed a distinct blue fluorescence. The latter points to the 
presence of methyl anthranilate which has repeatedly been detected 
in flower -oils. The yield of oil only amounted to 5 g, but in any 
case the extract contains more — perhaps double that quantity — 
for it is a difficult matter to distil the oil out until all odour has 
disappeared. At 5 mm pressure the oil distilled from 60° to 140^. 
With the fraction boiling about 140°, which amounted to over i g, 
and in which tuberone must be present, it was attempted to produce 
an oxime. After boiling with alcoholic potassa and hydroxylamine 
hydrochloride, the odour of the fraction had undergone no change. 
A solid compound could not be separated from the reaction-product. 
The remaining 4 g oil were oxidised with dilute solution of potassium 
permanganate, with the application of heat. The oxidation which at 
first progressed rapidly, became gradually slower, and there remained 
at last an oil which was oxidised with difficultv, and whose odour 
reminded of methyl benzoate. This oil, which was fairly volatile 
with water- vapour, was distilled off in a current of steam. It was 
heavier than water, but its quantity was too small to allow of an exact 
determination of the constants. That this oil actually consisted chiefly 
of methyl benzoate, was shown when it was heated with alcoholic 
potassa, w^hen a good yield of benzoic acid was obtained. The 
melting point of the separated recrystallised acid lay at 122°. 
The silver salt of this acid contained a quantity of silver calculated 
for silver benzoate. 
o,o956g yielded 0,0451 g= 47,17 percent. Ag. 
Calculated for Cg H5 C O O Ag = 47, 1 6 „ „ „ 
As methyl benzoate is only difficultly attacked by dilute 3 to 
4 per cent, solution of potassium permanganate, even when boiled, 
the method described is suitable for the separation of this compound 
in oil of tuberoses, and occassionally also in other essential oils ^). 
When sulphuric acid was added to the oxidation liquor, an acid 
of a fatty consistency separated out, which has not yet been submitted 
to examination. After prolonged standing there sublimed from the 
mass crystals which melted at 120^, apparently benzoic acid. 
^) Compare Oil of Cloves 
