CAPRYLIC  ALCOHOL  AND  ITS  DERIVATIVES.  415 
potash,  may  be  distilled  completely  without  acquiring  any  color, 
and  without  any  variation  in  its  boiling-point. 
Numerous  analyses,  performed  with  products  obtained  from 
American,  French  and  German  oils,  agreed  exactly  with  the 
formula 
Q16  h18  O2  =  4  vols., 
which  is  also  confirmed  by  several  determinations  of  the  density 
of  the  vapor.    Identical  results  were  obtained  with  the  alcohol 
produced  by  treating  pure  ricinolic  acid  with  potash. 
Caprylene,  C16  H16,  is  a  colorless  refractive  fluid,  with  a  rather 
strong  odor,  which  is  insoluble  in  water,  but  soluble  in  alcohol 
and  ether;  it  burns  with  a  very  luminous  flame;  its  density  is 
0-723  at  63Q  F. ;  under  a  pressure  of  0-760mm,  it  boils  at  247°  F., 
without  undergoing  decomposition ;  the  density  of  its  vapor  by 
calculation  is  3-86  ==  4  vols. ;  the  average  of  several  experiments 
was  3-86. 
This  hydrocarbon  was  obtained  by  distilling  the  alcohol  either 
with  sulphuric  acid  or  with  fused  chloride  of  zinc.  The  action 
of  ordinary  sulphuric  acid  furnishes,  according  to  the  duration 
of  the  contact,  either  sulphocaprylic  acid,  2S03,  C16  H17  0,  HO, 
or  a  mixture  of  caprylene  and  sulphuric  ether,  or  finally  a  hydro- 
carbon isomeric  with  caprylene,  but  possessing  very  different 
properties ;  its  density  is  0-814 ;  it  boils  at  about  482°  F.,  and 
its  boiling-point  rises  rapidly,  its  odor  then  becoming  unbearable, 
resembling  that  of  perspiration, 
Sulphocaprylic  acid  is  a  colorless  syrupous  fluid,  which  is 
readily  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol ;  when  heated  it  becomes 
black,  and  is  decomposed ;  its  solution,  when  boiled,  reproduces 
caprylic  alcohol.  It  is  obtained  by  decomposing  sulphocaprylate 
of  baryta  by  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  or  sulphocaprylate  of  lead  by 
sulphuretted  hydrogen,  and  evaporating  the  fluid  in  vacuo. 
Sulphocaprylate  of  baryta  is  of  a  pearly-white  color,  fatty, 
very  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  from  which  it  is  sometimes 
deposited  in  the  form  of  acicular  crystals  ;  it  is  decomposed  about 
212°  F.,  or  by  remaining  too  long  in  vacuo.  When  pressed 
between  paper,  its  analysis  gave  numbers  agreeing  exactly  with 
the  formula  2S03,  C16  H17  0,  Ba2  0  +  3H0.  It  is  excessively 
bitter,  but  leaves  a  very  sweet  after-taste.  It  serves  for  the 
formation  of  the  other  sulphocaprylates. 
