246 
Artificial  Oil  of  Wintergreen. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharrc. 
May ,  18i>5. 
The  salicylic  acid  was  added  in  portions  to  the  methyl  alcohol  contained  in 
a  wide-mouthed  flask  until  a  saturated  solution  was  obtained.  This  solution 
was  then  heated  to  the  boiling  point  on  a  water  bath,  the  flask  having  been 
connected  with  an  upright  condenser.  Dry  hydrochloric  acid  gas  was  passed 
into  the  hot  solution  until  the  latter  was  thoroughly  saturated.  The  flask  was 
then  disconnected,  an  addition  of  about  ten  grammes  of  salicylic  acid  made, 
the  flask  replaced  and  the  solution  again  completely  saturated  with  the  hydro- 
chloric acid  gas.  Such  additions  of  salicylic  acid  and  subsequent  treatment 
with  hydrochloric  acid  gas  were  repeated  until  all  of  the  former  substance  had 
been  added.  After  the  last  addition,  the  passage  of  the  hydrochloric  acid  gas 
was  continued  for  about  two  hours. 
The  contents  of  the  flask  were  then  found  to  have  separated  into  two  dis- 
tinct layers,  the  lower  of  which  was  an  oil)'  liquid  of  a  dark  brown  color.  The 
upper  layer  was  decanted,  the  lower  washed  with  water  until  no  longer  acid  to 
litmus  paper,  and  then  distilled  from  a  flask  with  the  aid  of  live  steam. 
The  oil  was  separated  from  the  excess  of  water  by  means  of  a  separating 
funnel,  and  afterwards  completely  dried  by  the  use  of  anhydrous  calcium 
chloride. 
The  salicylic  acid  used  had  a  melting  point  of  I56°-I57°  C. 
It  was  dried  at  ioo°  C.  The  methyl  alcohol  boiled  between 
580  and  720  C,  and  had  a  specific  gravity  of  -820. 
Especial  care  must  be  bestowed  upon  the  drying  of  the  hydro- 
chloric acid  gas. 
The  present  operator  found  it  necessary  to  pass  the  gas  over 
anhydrous  calcium  chloride  and  through  three  bottles  of  sulphuric 
acid,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying  illustration. 
The  quantities  directed  above  yielded  500  grammes  of  a  color- 
less or  slightly  yellowish  oil,  which  had  an  agreeable  odor,  a 
specific  gravity  of  1-187  and  a  boiling  point  of  221°  C. 
All  of  these  qualities  harmonize  with  the  official  requirements. 
The  odor  of  the  product  has  improved  on  standing. 
To  ascertain  the  ultimate  composition,  the  oil  was  submitted  to 
combustion,  whereby  the  following  results  were  obtained  : 
Placing  the  price  of  methyl  alcohol  at  $1.25  per  gallon  and  that 
of  salicylic  acid  at  56  cents  per  pound,  the  cost  of  the  raw  mate- 
rials required  to  produce  500  grammes  of  oil  by  the  process^proposed 
would  be  99  cents. 
Found. 
Calculated  for 
CH3C;H503. 
Carbon  . 
Hydrogen 
Oxygen  . 
63-38 
63-16 
5-26 
3I-58 
5*io 
3I-52 
