Amm^;1p873RM-}         'Researches  upon  Santonin.  12S 
If  santonin  be  really  a  phenol,  its  formula  C15H1803  indicates  that 
it  should  be  possible  by  its  methodical  reduction  to  obtain — 
(1)  A  diatomic  phenol  (C15H1802)  ; 
(2)  A  monatomic  phenol  (C15H180)  ; 
(3)  A  carbide  of  hydrogen  (C15H18). 
This  last  carbide  would  present  the  composition  of  a  homologue  of 
naphthalin,  isomeric  or  identical  with  amylnaphthalin. 
The  author  has  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  monatomic  phenol  (C1& 
H180)  ;  and  he  hopes  to  obtain  shortly  the  other  terms  of  the  series. 
The  monatomic  phenol,  to  which  compound  the  author  has  given  the 
name  of  santonol,  was  obtained  by  introducing  into  a  long  green  glass 
tube,  between  two  plugs  of  asbestos,  a  mixture  of  one  part  of  santo- 
nin and  four  parts  of  zinc  in  powder,  and  heating  it  over  a  gas  stove, 
in  a  current  of  hydrogen.  A  thick  yellowish-brown  liquid  condensed 
in  the  cool  parts  of  the  tube,  which,  after  a  few  days,  was  full  of  crys- 
tals. This  crude  product  was  neutral  to  litmus,  insoluble  in  water, 
very  soluble  in  alcohol  and  ether  ;  treated  with  solution  of  potash  in 
suitable  proportions  it  dissolved  completely.  An  excess  of  potash 
separated,  under  an  oily  form,  potassic  santonalate.  This  compound, 
or  an  analogous  body  very  rich  in  potash,  was  also  precipitated  as  an 
oily  liquid  when  the  original  solution  was  diluted  with  pure  water. 
Treated  with  an  acid  it  reproduced  santonol.  These  properties,  and 
various  others  undescribed,  show  that  the  product  was  constituted  by 
a  body  analogous  to  the  phenols. 
But  the  crude  product  of  the  reaction  was  not  a  pure  substance.  In 
fact,  the  crystals  and  the  mother-liquor  presented  a  different  compo- 
sition. The  first  answered  nearly  to  the  theoretical  formula  C15H180, 
while  the  mother-liquor  contained  much  less  carbon,  perhaps  because 
of  the  presence  of  the  compound  C15H1802,  intermediate  between  san- 
tonol and  santonin.  The  crude  product  was  therefore  redistilled, 
which  operation  was  effected  without  difficulty  at  about  the  boiling- 
point  of  mercury.  The  distilled  liquid  still  separated  into  two  por- 
tions, the  one  crystallized,  and  the  other  liquid  ;  these  were  analyzed 
separately,  and  found  to  be  isomeric. 
The  crystallized  santonol  had  the  appearance  of  the  stearin  which 
separates  in  the  fatty  bodies.  After  being  purified  as  much  as  pos- 
sible by  pressure,  it  acquires  a  tolerable  degree  of  hardness.  Its 
fusing-point  was  about  135°  C.  It  was  insoluble  in  water,  very  solu- 
ble in  alcohol  and  ether.    Sulphuric  acid  formed  with  it  a  compound 
