Am.  jour.  Pharm.  i      Preparation  of  Dichloramin  T.  IQ 
January,  19 10.    j  t  j  1  y 
This  method  has  the  disadvantage  that  no  definite  amount  of 
chlorine  enters  the  eucalyptol.  The  chlorination  depends  on  the 
rate  of  adding  chlorate  and  hydrochloric  acid  as  well  as  the  light  in 
which  the  process  takes  place.  Samples  may  have  I  per  cent, 
chlorine  present  or  scarcely  any,  depending  on  whether  chlorination 
took  place  in  sunlight  or  on  a  dark  day.  The  specific  gravity  of  this 
oil  may  vary  from  .930  to  .935. 
Preparation  of  Chlorinated  Eucalyptol  1.2. 
It  was  found  that  by  passing  chlorine  gas  from  a  cylinder  into 
eucalyptol  the  reaction  proceeded  much  further  than  by  the  chlorate 
method  described  above.  When  a  specific  gravity  of  1.20  was 
reached  a  comparatively  heavy  oil,  much  less  volatile  than  eucalyptol, 
was  obtained. 
The  results  of  the  use  of  this  oil  are  well  known  to-day;  briefly, 
it  was  found  that  it  is  almost  as  good  a  solvent  for  dichloramin  T., 
that  it  can  be  used  in  full  strength  on  the  skin  and  in  open  wounds 
and  that  the  use  of  paraffin  oil  either  as  a  diluent  or  as  a  means  of 
preventing  sticking  of  dressings  is  unnecessary. 
The  following  is  a  sufficiently  detailed  statement  of  the  method 
by  which  this  oil  is  obtained : 
Through  a  glass  tube  reaching  to  the  bottom  of  a  five-gallon 
bottle  containing  about  10  kilos  of  eucalyptol  is  passed  chlorine 
from  a  cylinder.  The  oil  should  have  a  boiling  point  of  1 76-1 77 0  C. 
and  a  specific  gravity  of  .925  to  start.  The  process  should  be  car- 
ried on  in  good  daylight. 
During  the  chlorination  the  temperature  rises  and  should  be  kept 
below  8o°  C.  by  regulating  the  chlorine  stream.  Hydrochloric  acid 
is  given  off  and  may  be  absorbed  in  alkali. 
When  a  specific  gravity  of  1.19  is  reached  the  oil  is  chlorinated 
sufficiently  and  the  process  is  interrupted.  The  oil  is  then  washed 
with  about  four  liters  of  water,  then  shaken  thoroughly  with  250 
Gm.  dry  sodium  carbonate  and  allowed  to  settle.  After  carefully  de- 
canting from  the  carbonate,  about  500  Gm.  fused  calcium  chloride 
are  added  and  the  whole  again  shaken.  On  standing,  preferably- 
over  night,  the  oil  is  filtered,  bottled  and  is  then  ready  for  use.  It 
is  a  white  or  slightly  amber-colored  oil,  specific  gravity  1.2,  with  a 
chlorine  content  of  about  31  per  cent.  Such  an  oil  will  readily  dis- 
solve 20  per  cent,  of  dichloramin  T.  which  solution  may  keep  in  an. 
amber  bottle  without  decomposition  for  a  month. 
