32 
ON LIMONE. 
ART. VIII— ON LIMONE. 
BY DR. C. SCHMIDT. 
This substance, which was discorered by Bernays, in the 
pips of lemons and oranges, is probably contained in the seed 
of all the Aurantiacece. From the author's investigation it 
appears that it is not a base, and does not contain any nitro- 
gen. It is obtained in the form of a white crystalline powder ; 
its crystals belong to the rhombic system. This substance is 
very sparingly soluble in water, eether and ammonia, some- 
what more in mineral acids, more easily in alcohol and acetic 
acid, but most readily in potash, from which solution it is pre- 
cipitated unaltered by acids. Concentrated sulphuric acid 
dissolves it with a blood-red color, from which water precipi- 
tates it, as well as from the alcoholic and acetic solutions, un- 
changed ; it is carbonized by heat. When neutralized with 
carbonate of barytes, no barytes remains in the solution. It 
crystallizes readily from acetic acid ; the crystals are free from 
chemically combined acetic acid. The alcoholic solution has 
a neutral reaction ; it neither affords precipitates with chloride 
of platinum nor with perchloride of mercury, with salts of lead 
nor with those of silver, potash, barytes and others (the latter 
must naturally be dissolved in alcohol, as otherwise the pure 
substance is precipitated by the water of the saline solution.) 
It can be heated to 302° without undergoing change, and 
without any remarkable loss in weight ; at a higher tempera- 
ture it suddenly becomes yellowish, and melts at 471° to a 
liquid of the same colour, which resembles a melting resin ; it 
resolidifies to an amorphous mass, and even after several days 
does not present any trace of crystalline structure ; it may, 
however, be dissolved in acetic acid by long digestion in the 
warmth, from which it crystallizes in the form and with the 
properties of the original unmelted substance. 
The indifference of this substance towards oxidizing agents 
