90 
Acorin  and  its  Derivatives. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm.. 
Feb.,  1887. 
solution  gives  a  faint  sugar  reaction.  Attempts  to  obtain  acorin 
in  a  crystalline  form  were  unsuccessful.  Heated  to  85°,  the  color 
darkens  perceptibly.  A  considerable  quantity  was  heated  for  several 
hours  at  80°,  and  with  this  the  subsequent  investigation  was  con- 
ducted. 
Analysis  gave  the  formula  C6H10O.  The  molecular  formula  of  aco- 
rin was  deduced  from  the  amount  of  sugar  obtained  by  the  action  of 
dilute  acids  and  alkalis  respectively.  Discordant  results  were  obtained, 
owing  to  the  oxidizing  effect  of  the  atmosphere,  but  the  results  became 
concordant  when  the  reaction  was  conducted  in  hydrogen.  The  reac- 
tion is  represented  by  the  equation  6C6H10O=3C10H16-)-C6H12O6;  hence 
the  molecular  formula  of  acorin  is  C36H60O6.  Decomposition  under  the 
action  of  emulsin  gave  concordant  results,  whilst  yeast  and  saliva  failed 
to  cause  the  formation  of  sugar,  and  superheated  steam  did  not  com- 
plete the  decomposition.  The  ethereal  oil  formed  during  the  above 
decomposition  was  produced  in  quantity  by  the  action  of  aqueous  soda 
in  a  current  of  hydrogen.  After  fractionating,  the  oil  boiled  at  158 — - 
159°  C,  and  had  the  composition  C10H16.  It  has  an  odor  of  turpentine,, 
is  colorless,  soluble  in  alcohol  and  ether,  and  has  a  sp.  gr.  of  0"8793 
at  0°.  A  portion  boiling  at  250 — 255°  had  a  bluish  color,  which 
disappeared  on  boiling  with  metallic  sodium,  still  the  hydrocarbon, 
which  now  boiled  at  255 — 288°,  had  the  same  composition,  C10H16. 
It  was  sparingly  soluble  in  alcohol,  readily  in  ether. 
Acoretin,  C36H5807,the  resin  resulting  from  the  action  of  dilute  acids 
or  alkalis  on  acorin,  is  a  dark  brown,  gritty,  bitter,  viscid  body,  with 
a  faintly  aromatic  odor  and  neutral  reaction.  It  is  easily  soluble  in 
alcohol,  ether,  chloroform,  and  acetone,  insoluble  in  benzene.  From 
its  solvents,  it  separates  in  an  amorphous  state  on  evaporation.  An 
attempt  to  induce  further  oxidation  by  heating  with  strong  hydro- 
chloric acid  was  unsuccessful.  Acoretin  was  not  reduced  to  acorin  by 
the  action  of  zinc  and  hydrochloric  acid,  but  metallic  sodium  in  the 
presence  of  water  induced  the  reduction,  as  shown  by  the  change  in 
color  and  odor  of  calamus.  The  resin  extracted  directly  from  cal- 
amus rhizome,  when  purified,  was  found  to  have  the  same  composition 
as  acoretin. 
The  author  discovered  in  the  calamus  rhizome  a  crystalline  alkaloid 
calamine,  of  strongly  basic  nature;  it  contains  nitrogen. — Jour.  Chem^ 
Soc.  1886,  p.  895.    Arch.  Phar.  1886,  465-481. 
