Am.  jour.  Phai-m.i      Thymol  and  Carvacrol  Problems. 
January,  1921.    J  J 
IS 
Sample  1,000  g. 
Gms. 
30.6863 
30.6844 
30.6820 
30.6750 
I. 
Loss  per 
day. 
Gms. 
II. 
Gms. 
Loss  per 
day. 
Gms. 
Weighed 
Feb.  21 
Feb.  22 
Feb.  24 
0.0024 
0.0035 
27.5523 
27.5506 
27.5488 
27.5423 
0.0018 
0.0032 
Recovery 
99.57  p.  c. 
99.65  p.  c. 
When  the  loss  decreased  per  day  to  about  0.002  Gm.  weighings 
were  discontinued  as  the  loss  then  became  regular  indicating  sub- 
limation of  thymol  as  the  single  factor. 
When  the  thymol  recovered  with  dry  ether  is  inoculated  or 
otherwise  induced  to  crystallize  the  normal  rate  of  loss  is  established 
very  much  more  quickly  and  recoveries  of  99.09  and  98.47  per  cent, 
were  obtained. 
This  tendency  of  thymol  to  remain  fluid  was  not  alone  charac- 
teristic of  the  solvent,  ether,  because  as  soon  as  the  beneficial  effects 
of  crystallization  were  established  all  samples  were  inoculated. 
The  heat  of  fusion  was  also  efficient  in  removing  the  last  traces  of 
solvent  and  unless  solidifying  spontaneously,  thymol  was  only  inoc- 
ulated after  two  days. 
One  characteristic  of  thymol  is,  however,  its  avidity  for  ether 
•  because  fresh  crystals  of  thymol  exposed  along  with  the  evaporated 
.ether  solution  in  the  desiccator  took  up  enough  ether  to  liquefy 
themselves.  The  other  solvents  were  exposed  in  a  similar  manner 
but  none  caused  this  "deliquescence"  of  thymol.  There  is  every 
reason  to  assume  also  that  this  supercooled  thymol  has  a  higher 
vapor  tension  and  a  corresponding  higher  rate  of  loss  than  the  solid. 
For  extraction  of  the  alkaline  solution  50  Cc.  were  shaken  with 
50  Cc.  solvent  and  this  repeated  twice  with  fresh  portions  of  solvent. 
The  cylinder  containing  the  two  was  shaken  vigorously  for  one 
minute  and  allowed  to  stand  for  three  minutes  to  clear  and  shaken 
again  one  minute  allowing  two  minutes  for  clearing  and  finally 
shaken  again  for  one  minute.  These  conditions  were  observed 
throughout  the  work. 
The  solution  was  emulsified  as  well  as  possible  and  transferred 
to  a  separatory  funnel  and  the  solution  run  off ;  the  solvent  poured 
off,  and  the  funnel  washed  down  with  the  solution,  and  allowed  to 
drain.    About  two  Cc.'s  of  solvent  were  used  to  wash  the  funnel 
