AMAprT;i874RM"}      Oils  of  Wormwood  and  Citronella.  189 
ing  the  camphor  to  fine  powder  by  alcohol,  and  proceeding  as  with 
the  others. 
Philadelphia,  March  19,  1874. 
PRELIMINARY  NOTICE  ON  THE  OILS  OF  WORMWOOD  AND 
CITRONELLA. 
By  C.  R.  A.  Wright,  D.Sc. 
A  quantity  of  pure  oil  of  wormwood  (obtained  from  Dr.  Septimus 
Piesse)  being  submitted  to  distillation,  the  greater  part  passed  over 
at  a  temperature  close  upon  200u  C,  a  portion  of  blue  oily  product 
being  obtained  at  a  higher  temperature  (the  azulene  of  Piesse  and 
voerulein  of  Gladstone),  and  also  a  small  quantity  of  substance  boil- 
ing below  190°,  and  apparently  containing  a  terpene. 
The  portion  boiling  at  200° — 205°  has  been  shown  by  Leblanc  to 
be  indicated  by  the  formula  C10H16O,  whence  Gladstone  has  termed 
the  substance  absinthol.  It  hence  appears  that  this  substance  is  iso- 
meric with  the  myristicol  found  to  exist  in  nutmeg  oil  and  in  cam- 
phor ;  and  as  each  of  these  bodies  breaks  up  into  water  and  cymene 
when  treated  with  dehydrating  agents  (e.  g.,  zinc  chloride,  phosho- 
rus  sulphide,  etc.,)  the  action  of  these  bodies  on  absinthol  was  exam- 
ined. 
When  absinthol  was  heated  with  phosphorus  pentasulphide,  a  mod- 
erately energetic  action  was  perceived,  and  a  colorless  liquid  distilled 
over  ;  this  was  poured  back  into  the  retort  when  the  action  had  ceased, 
and  the  whole  kept  very  gently  boiling  for  half  an  hour.  On  distil- 
lation, a  quantity  of  hydrocarbon  passed  over  at  170° — 180°.  The 
thermometer  then  rose  rapidly,  and  a  yellowish  liquid  distilled  at 
230°  and  upwards,  the  sum  of  two  distillates  representing  about  35 
or  40  per  cent,  of  the  absinthol  used,  and  the  first  being  about  half 
as  much  again  as  the  second. 
The  hydrocarbon  was  found  to  boil  at  close  upon  176°  after  treat- 
ment with  sulphuric  acid  and  distillation  over  sodium.    On  analysis 
it  appeared  to  be  cymene,  formed  by  the  reaction 
CioH160  —  H20  +  C10HU. 
The  oxidation-products  of  this  cymene  are  now  undergoing  investi. 
gation,  in  order  to  decide  whether  this  hydrocarbon  is  identical  with 
the  cymene  now  known  to  be  obtainable  from  many  other  sources. 
Zinc  chloride  seems  to  act  similarly,  water,  cymene  and  a  resinous 
body  being  formed. 
