AMAp°rt!Ri)i874RM'}  Balsam  of  Liquidambar  Sty  rati flua.  163 
It  agreed  with  the  following  reactions  of  cinnamic  acid  (see  "G-me- 
Uns  Hand-Book  of  Chemistry")  : 
Heated  on  platinum  foil,  it  first  fuses  and  then  takes  fire,  burning 
with  a  fuliginous  flame,  and  evolving  peculiar  stifling  and  irritating 
fumes.  Cold  oil  of  vitriol  colors  it  yellow,  and  then  dissolves  it  with 
evolution  of  heat,  forming  a  clear  brownish  liquid,  which,  on  the  ad- 
dition of  water,  deposits  a  small  quantity  of  a  brownish-white  pow- 
der (sulpho-cinnamic  acid).  Hypochlorite  of  calcium  converts  it  first 
into  oil  of  bitter  almonds,  with  its  characteristic  odor,  and  then  into 
benzoate  of  calcium.  Sulphuric  acid  and  bichromate  of  potassium 
also  convert  it  into  oil  of  bitter  almonds  and  finally  into  benzoic  acid, 
the  same  effect  being  produced  by  other  oxidizing  agents. 
The  resin  remaining  after  the  extraction  of  the  cinnamic  acid  was 
treated  with  boiling  petroleum  benzin,  the  liquid  decanted  and  al- 
lowed to  cool,  when  a  yellowish-white  oily-looking  mass  was  deposited. 
This  was  proven  to  be  styracin,  rendered  amorphous  by  heat.  The 
vessel  containing  it  and  the  benzin  was  set  aside  in  a  moderately  cool 
place,  and  allowed  to  stand  for  several  weeks.  On  then  examining 
it,  the  yellowish  mass  was  found  to  have  become  crystalline,  and  quite 
a  quantity  of  styracin  in  clusters  of  white  acicular  crystals  had  been 
deposited  on  the  sides  of  the  vessel  above  the  surface  of  the  benzin. 
The  property  of  being  rendered  amorphous  by  heat  and  recrystalliz- 
ing  on  standing,  as  well  as  the  manner  of  crystallizing  above  the  sur- 
face of  the  liquid,  are  mentioned  by  Ginelin  as  characteristic  of  sty- 
racin. The  specimen  under  examination  also  afforded  the  following 
reactions  of  styracin  : 
Treated  with  nitric  acid  it  is  changed  into  a  yellowish  pulverulent 
substance,  evolving  at  the  same  time  the  odor  of  oil  of  bitter  almonds. 
With  sulphuric  acid  and  bichromate  of  potassium  it  also  evolves  the 
odor  of  oil  of  bitter  almonds.  Treated  with  sulphuric  acid  alone, 
either  hot  or  cold,  it  is  charred.  It  is  completely  insoluble  in  water, 
I  either  hot  or  cold,  soluble  in  alcohol,  and  more  freely  in  ether.  It 
does  not  combine  with  or  dissolve  in  solution  of  lime,  even  at  boiling 
heat,  neither  does  it  dissolve  in  solution  of  ammonia.  Heated  with 
potassium  hydrate,  it  is  converted  into  cinnamate  of  potassium,  and 
a  brown  resinous-looking  substance,  with  a  pleasant  odor,  resembling 
that  of  cinnamon.  It  does  not  combine  with  acids,  but  is  rendered 
more  soluble  by  them,  e.  g.,  the  solution  of  one  part  styracin  in  eight 
of  boiling  alcohol  becomes  turbid  on  cooling,  but  is  immediately  ren- 
dered perfectly  clear  by  the  addition  of  a  little  sulphuric  acid. 
