400  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am,i£g^i89oarm' 
On  Indian  Oil  of  Geranium. — F.  W.  Semmler  (Ber.  d.  Deutsch. 
chem.  Gesell.,  1890,  1098)  examined  this  oil  as  obtained  from 
Andropogon  Schcenanthus  by  Schimmel  &  Co.  The  properties  were 
the  same  as  those  given  by  Beilstein  {Chemie,  iii,  265);  the  rota- 
tion in  a  10  cm.  tube  was — 20'.  Fractional  distillation  in  vacuum 
yielded  as  principal  constituent  (90  per  cent.)  geraniol  C10H18O ;  the 
boiling  point  at  17  mm.  pressure  is  120-5-122-5°,  and  the  refraction 
48-71.  Phosphorus  pentoxide  yields  a  terpene,  boiling  point  60- 
650  C.  and  a  polyterpene,  boiling  point  205-2 io°  C.  Geraniol  is 
undoubtedly  an  alcohol  belonging  to  the  series  Cn  H2n  —  20. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G. 
Russian  peppermint  oil  was  examined  by  Hugo  Andres  with  the 
following  results  :  The  sample  examined  was  obtained  from  the 
fresh  herb,  had  a  greenish-yellow  color,  specific  gravity  0-91 5  at  150 
C,  and  a  rotary  power  aD  —  —  17-13.  The  portions  obtained  by 
distillation  and  congelation  after  fractional  distillation  had  the  fol- 
lowing boiling  points :  160-1650,  173-1750,  203-2060  and  206-209°. 
The  first  fraction  consisted  of  menthene  C10H18  and  a  terpene.  The 
second  fraction  showed  the  greatest  optical  activity;'  a  terpene  was 
separated  which  boiled  at  1760,  at  200  had  the  specific  gravity 
0-8571,  and  a  rotary  power  of  «D  —  —  4I-I9  ;  it  was  identical  with 
Wallach's  limonene.  The  last  two  fractions  consisted  of  mixtures  ot 
menthone  C10HlsO  (b.  p.  206-2080)  and  menthol  C10H20O  (b.  p.  21 1° 
C.),  the  separation  being  effected  as  follows:  10  grams  of  the  frac- 
tions (each  one  treated  separately)  were  dissolved  in  25  gms.  alcohol, 
8  gms.  hydrochlorate  of  hydroxylamine,  and  a  slight  excess  of 
sodium  bicarbonate  added,  the  mixture  set  aside  for  three  days, 
then  an  excess  of  water  added,  the  oily  layer  separated  and  agitated 
with  20  per  cent,  sulphuric  acid,  the  undissolved  oil  (menthol) 
removed  and  the  acid  solution  agitated  with  ether,  the  ethereal 
solution  removed  and  the  ether  evaporated  ;  dextrogyre  menthoxim 
was  here  obtained,  which  by  heating  on  a  water-bath  with  dilute 
hydrochloric  acid  decomposed,  yielding  a  clear  oil  (menthone)  boil- 
ing at  206-2080,  aD  =  8  04,  and  by  analysis  agreeing  to  formula 
C10H18O.  In  this  method  of  separating  menthone  and  menthol,  the 
former  unites  with  hydroxylamine,  while  the  menthol  does  not. 
