568 
Varieties. 
Am.  Jour  Pharm. 
Dec.  1875. 
allyl  iodide  obtained  from  glycerin  and  phosphorus  iodide,  the  author  obtained  a 
liquid  specifically  lighter  than  water,  which,  on  analysis,  was  found  to  be  isopropyl 
sulphocyanate,  C4  H7  SN.  It  boiled  at  about  152°,  and  its  density  at  15°  was  0-974. 
It  gave  the  usual  reactions  of  the  alcoholic  sulphocyanates  when  treated  with 
sulphuric  acid  and  with  nascent  hydrogen.  It  was  doubtless  derived  from  isopropyl 
iodide  produced  from  the  glycerin  simultaneously  with  the  allyl  iodide. 
In  order  satisfactorily  to  settle  this  point,  and  also,  if  possible,  to  obtain  the 
corresponding  allyl  compound,  allyl  alcohol  was  prepared  by  Tollens  and  Hennin- 
ger's  method,  and  then  converted  into  allyl  bromide.  On  addmg  this  to  a  cold 
alcoholic  solution  of  potassium  sulphocyanate,  a  reaction  took  place  on  standing, 
large  quantities  of  potassium  bromide  being  deposited,  and  allyl  sulphocyanate 
produced.  If,  however,  the  solution  was  boiled,  mustard-oil  (allyl  sulphocar- 
bimide)  was  obtained.  Allyl  iodide  yielded  similar  results.  The  author  prefers 
to  prepare  the  sulphocyanate  by  the  action  of  allyl  bromide  on  potassium 
sulphocyanate  at  0°,  and,  after  filtering  off  the  potassium  bromide,  separating  the 
new  compound  by  the  addition  of  ice-cold  water  5  it  may  then  be  drawn  off  by  a 
pipette.  On  attempting  to  distil  allyl  sulphocyanate,  C4  H5  SN,  the  temperature  at 
first  rises  rapidly  to  about  161°,  and  then  gradually  sinks,  whilst  a  powerful  odor 
of  mustard-oil  becomes  apparent.  In  fact,  on  heating  the  liquid  in  a  flask  with  an 
inverted  condenser  it  is  entirely  converted  into  mustard-oil.  The  density  of  the 
sulphocyanate  at  15O  is  1-056.  Unlike  the  mustard-oil,  it  gives  no  precipitate  with 
an  ammoniacal  solution  of  silver  nitrate,  and  when  gently  heated  with  alcoholic 
potash  the  liquid  gives  the  sulphocyanate  reaction  with  ferric  chloride.  Strong 
ammonia  solution  has  no  action  on  allyl  sulphocyanate. — Journ.  Chem.  Soc  ,  Oct., 
1875,  from  Deut.  Chem.  Ges.  Ber.,  viii,  650-653. 
On  Ratanhin. — By  B.  Kreitmiir. — Various  supplies  of  ratanhy  extract  were 
experimented  on,  but  only  one  yielded  ratanhin,  and  that  was  one  which  had  lain 
for  some  time  in  store. 
The  product  obtained  agreed  perfectly  with  Ruge's  account  of  ratanhin,  which 
had  formerly  been  considered  by  Wittstein  to  be  identical  with  tyrosin,  but  which 
is  really  a  homologous  body  of  the  formula,  C10H13NO3.  Ratanhin  is  identical 
with  GintPs  angelin,  obtained  from  other  vegetable  extracts. 
It  does  not  appear  to  be  a  normal  constituent  of  the  extract,  but  rather  a  consti- 
tuent of  some  substance  used  for  adulteration,  as  all  samples  purporting  to  be  pure 
extract,  yielded  no  ratanhin  j  the  usual  adulterating  materials,  kino  and  catechu,  do 
not,  however,  contain  it,  nor,  when  it  is  mixed  with  Ferreira  spectahilis^  does  it  ap- 
pear likely  that  ratanhin  is  formed  by  reaction  between  the  two  substances,  although 
the  theory  is  plausible. 
The  method  employed  for  obtaining  ratanhin  from  the  only  samples  that  con- 
tained it,  was  to  treat  the  extract  with  water,  then  precipitate  by  lead  acetate,  and 
finally  precipitate  the  lead  by  hydrogen  sulphide.  The  filtrate  evaporated  and  left 
at  rest  for  a  short  time  yielded  crystals,  which  were  dried  and  washed  with  cold 
water.  After  precipitation  of  the  calcium  by  ammonia  and  ammonium  carbonate, 
crystals  were  obtained  by  spontaneous  evaporation  5  these  were  again  submitted  to 
the  same  treatment,  and  on  analysis  yielded  results  answering  to  the  formula, 
C10H3  NO3.     Ratanhin  is  insoluble  in  alcohol  and  ether,  but  soluble  in  ammonia. 
