378 
A ralia  Nudicaulis. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      August,  1899. 
ether  was  then  allowed  to  evaporate,  leaving  a  dark  addition  pro- 
duct of  a  thick  oily  consistency  (C15H24-HC1) ;  crystals  could  not  be 
obtained.  By  treating  this  hydrogen  chloride  compound  with  a 
solution  of  sodium  acetate  the  sesquiterpene  was  regenerated. 
A  bromine  addition  product  was  obtained  in  the  following  way : 
One  volume  o.f  the  oil  was  dissolved  in  a  mixture  of  four  volumes 
of  alcohol  and  ether,  and  one  volume  of  bromine  dissolved  in  the 
same  menstruum  added,  keeping  the  mixture  cool.  After  evapo- 
rating the  alcohol  and  ether  a  dark  green  substance  (QgH^Br)  was 
obtained,  insoluble  in  alcohol,  soluble  in  ether.  Efforts  to  crystal- 
lize it  were  not  successful. 
The  boiling  point  of  the  oil,  after  making  the  necessary  correc- 
tions as  to  pressure  and  temperature  of  the  laboratory,  was  found 
to  be  2700.  Its  specific  gravity  is  -9107  at  180  and  -9086  at  200. 
Its  index  of  refraction  at  180  is  NFD]  =  1-49936. 
To  determine  its  influence  on  polarized  light,  a  solution  in  benzol 
had  to  be  used,  as  not  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  oil  was  at  hand 
to  fill  the  tube  of  the  apparatus.  The  following  observations  were 
made : 
Percentage  of  Density.  Observed  [a]£> 
Solution.  Angle. 
37-08  -8904  —  4'9°  —  7'42 
27*57  '886  —  3-5°  —  7-20 
These  two  observations  agree  fairly  well,  showing  that  the  sub- 
stance is  laevo-rotatory  and  [«]D  between  —  7  and  —  8. 
Efforts  were  made  to  obtain  a  crystallizable  derivative,  by 
employing  various  methods  as  described  by  Wallach  and  others, 
but  without  success.  Nitroso-  compounds  were  formed  of  an  oily 
appearance.    The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  investigation : 
The  volatile  oil  of  aralia  nudicaulis  consists  principally  of  a  ses- 
quiterpene, C15H24,  and  an  alcohol,  C^H^OH  (  ?  ) ;  a  small  quantity  of 
azulene  is  also  present.  The  sesquiterpene  has  a  specific  gravity  of 
•9086  at  20°  ;  boiling  point,  2700,  [«]D  =  —  7  to  —  8  ;  ND  = 
1-49936.  It  forms  oily  compounds  with  HC1  and  Br,  and  deriva- 
tives with  nitrous  acid.  Treated  with  hydrochloric-acetic  acid  it 
forms  a  compound  of  a  permanent  blue  color.  Chloroform  and  sul- 
phuric acid  produce  a  purple  red  color,  acetic  acid  and  sulphuric 
acid  a  wine-red  color. 
According  to  these  reactions  and  properties,  this  sesquiterpene 
differs  from  those  isomerous  compounds  that  have  been  identified 
and  the  name  Araliene  may  be  proposed  for  it. 
