478 
Buchu  and  Oil  of  Buchu. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm, 
Oct.,  1886. 
The  composition  of  this  liquid,  which  has  phenol-like  qualities, 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  it  is  a  homologue  inferior  to  ordinary 
camphor  and  until  its  true  chemical  character  is  better  understood,  it  is 
proposed  to  name  it  dioscamphor. 
Examination  of  the  Stearopten  (Diosphenol  of  Fluckiger). — The 
crude  stearopten,  as  previously  obtained,  was  depurated  from  adhering 
brown  oil  by  compression  between  dry  paper  and  then  crystallized 
repeatedly  by  dissolving  in  the  smallest  possible  quantity  of  alcohol, 
then  lightly  heating,  adding  water,  slowly,  until  a  slight  turbidity  ensued, 
and  cooling,  when  long,  white,  needle  shaped  crystals  are  formed,  having 
a  camphoraceous  odor.  Heated  to  82°  C.  they  sublime,  partially,  and 
commence  to  boil  at  about  220°  C,  when  decomposition  ensues.  The 
diostearopten  is  slightly  soluble  in  water,  very  soluble  in  alcohol  or 
ether,  and  in  neutral  solution,  has  a  mint-like  camphoraceous  odor. 
The  alcoholic  solution  treated  with  ferric  chloride,  was  tinged  an  apple- 
green  and  then,  on  the  addition  of  more  of  the  reagent,  deepened  into 
a  bottle-green  color.  The  hydrates  of  potassium  and  sodium  dissolve 
it  well,  and  from  their  solutions  hydrochloric  acid  precipitates  it  in 
minute  crystals.  Carbonate  of  ammonium  does  not  dissolve  it.  It 
acts,  then,  like  a  compound  of  phenol  origin. 
The  analyses  made  give  different  results  from  those  obtained  by 
Fluckiger,  viz : 
Obtained.  Theory. 
(F.)  C14H22Os    (S.)  C5H80. 
H  9-79       9-85  9-24  9*52 
C  71-65     71-44  76-58  71-44 
Apparently,  then,  the  buchu  camphor  is  much  more  simple  in  its 
chemical  structure,  than  the  results  of  Fluckiger  would  seem  to  indicate, 
it  appears  to  be  nothing  more  than  an  oxy camphor  C10H 1602.  This  pro- 
duct is  perfectly  identical  in  all  the  characteristics  published  concerning 
the  diosphenol  of  Fluckiger. 
The  determination  of  the  vapor  density,  does  not  tend  to  establish 
the  formula  at  C10H16O2  as  the  substance  was  decomposed  during  vapor- 
ization, but,  in  the  future  with  more  time  and  material,  correct  results 
will  be  sought  for  through  another  method,  and  the  chemical  relation 
will  be  ascertained  between  the  diostearopten  C10H16O2  and  the  liquid 
compound  C8H120.  The  former  is  probably  a  phenylic  ether  contain- 
ing, also,  one  phenol  hydroxyl. 
Certain  other  compounds  isolated,  with  alcohol,  from  the  leaves  after 
