98  Abietene  a  new  Hydrocarbon.  { 
Am.  Jotjr.  Pharm. 
March  1, 1872. 
lates  of  three  ounces  each  separately  collected.  The  first  three  ounces 
were  obtained  with  the  thermometer  indicating  101°  C,  the  sec- 
ond fraction  indicated  a  thermometric  rise  of  a  quarter  of  a  degree, 
and  the  thermometer  rose  with  every  succeeding  fractional  part  until 
the  fifth  fraction  indicated  a  boiling  point  of  104°  C.  With  the  sixth 
or  last  fraction  the  thermometer  rose  rapidly  from  105°  to  115°  C, 
when  at  this  point  the  distillation  was  discontinued.  The  remaining 
ounce  presented  a  brownish  red  appearance,  and  left,  on  evaporation 
in  a  porcelain  capsule,  a  small  quantity  of  a  solid  resinous  body. 
Each  fractional  part  was  found,  on  examination,  to  possess  a  boiling 
point  of  101°  C,  showing  the  hydro-carbon  abietene  is  a  homogeneous 
liquid.  Pure  abietene  presents  a  colorless,  limpid  liquid,  possessing  a 
strong  penetrating  odor,  bearing  some  resemblance  to  oil  of  oranges. 
It  is  specifically  lighter  than  water,  turpentine,  absolute  alcohol,  and 
ether,  its  specific  gravity  being  0*694  at  a  temperature  of  16*5°  C.  It 
is  very  volatile  and  highly  inflammable,  burning  with  a  brilliant  white, 
smokeless  flame.  It  is  nearly  insoluble  in  water  ;  soluble  in  five  parts 
by  volume  of  95  per  cent,  alcohol.  When  poured  upon  the  hands,  it 
evaporates  rapidly,  communicating  the  sensation  of  cold.  Dry  hydro- 
chloric acid,  passed  through  it  for  ten  hours,  did  not  react  upon  it. 
It  dissolves  iodine  with  the  production  of  a  rich  purple  color  ;  bromine 
is  also  freely  dissolved,  forming  an  orange-colored  solution.  Nitric 
acid  of  sp.  gr.  1*43  added  to  abietene  occasioned  no  reaction  in  the 
cold,  but  when  the  mixture  was  heated  to  boiling,  a  moderate  reaction 
was  established  with  the  disengagement  of  nitrous  acid  fumes.  Con- 
centrated sulphuric  acid  exerted  no  reaction  whatever,  either  in  the 
cold  or  on  heating  ;  metallic  potassium  was  not  acted  upon.  On  pass- 
ing dry  chlorine  into  abietene  this  gas  was  abundantly  absorbed,  with 
the  evolution  of  hydrochloric  acid  gas,  an  increase  of  volume  and  density, 
accompanied  by  a  rise  of  temperature.  On  saturating  abietene  with 
chlorine,  assisting  towards  the  end  with  a  gentle  heat,  a  thick  liquid 
resulted,  which,  when  heated  on  a  water-bath  to  remove  some  hydro- 
chloric acid  held  in  solution,  was  found  to  possess  the  consistency  of 
glycerin,  sp.  gr.,  1*666,  to  be  colorless,  insoluble  in  water,  but  soluble 
in  warm  alcohol,  and  possessing  a  taste  resembling  balsam  of  fir. 
In  comparing  abietene  with  terebene  (spirits  of  turpentine),  the  hydro- 
carbon obtained  from  other  species  of  the  pine  family,  the  Pinuspalus- 
trisyPinus  sylvestris,  etc.,  some  very  striking  differences  are  observed  in 
their  physical  and  chemical  properties.    Particularly  noticeable  is  the 
