"^""'Ferrifso""' }      Composition  of  some  Volatile  Oils,  99 
COMPOSITION  OF  SOME  VOLATILE  OILS. 
By  Bruylants. 
Oil  of  marjoram^  obtained  by  distilling  the  flowery  tops  of  Origanum 
Marjorana  in  a  current  of  steam,  is  a  yellowish  liquid,  when  freshly 
prepared  (sp.  gr.  O'Qii  at  15°),  but  becomes  brown  on  standing.  It 
has  a  pungent  smell  and  a  hot,  peppery  and  slightly  bitter  taste.  It  is 
a  dextrorotatory,  and  has  an  acid  reaction.  When  distilled,  it  begins  to 
boil  at  185°,  but  the  temperature  rapidly  rises  to  200°,  and  remains 
constant  between  215  to  220°,  a  resinous  mass  being  left  in  the  retort. 
By  repeatedly  fractioning  the  oil  which  passes  over  at  185-190°,  a 
portion  is  obtained,  boiling  between  160-162°,  consisting  principally  of 
a  terpene. 
The  fraction  boiling  at  215-220°  yields  no  portion  having  a  constant 
boiling  point,  nor  does  it  deposit  crystals  when  cooled  to  —  25°.  Its 
vapor  density  and  analysis  correspond  with  either  laurel  camphor  or 
borneol.  When  distilled  with  phosphoric  anhydride,  it  yields  a  mix- 
ture of  cymene  and  terpene  (b.  p,  160-170°).  When  treated  with 
acetic  anhydride,  it  forms  a  compound  (b.  p.  230-235°),  which  with 
alcoholic  potash  yields  terpene  and  potassic  acetate.  Chromic  mixture 
oxidizes  it  with  the  formation  of  acetic  and  formic  acids  and  laurel 
camphor. 
Oil  of  marjoram  is  therefore  composed  of  a  dextrorotatory  hydro- 
carbon, 5  per  cent. ;  a  rnixture  of  dextrorotatory  camphor  and  borneol, 
S5  per  cent,  j  resin,  10  per  cent. 
Oil  of  lavender  when  freshly  prepared  is  a  colorless  liquid,  which 
becomes  yellow  on  standing  ;  it  smells  of  lavender,  and  its  taste  is  hot, 
camphorous  and  slightly  bitter.  It  is  laevorotatory,  has  an  acid  reac- 
tion, and  sp.  gr.  0*875  at  15°.  It  begins  to  boil  at  185°,  the  tempera- 
ture quickly  rises  to  190°,  and  the  greater  portion  distils  over  between 
195-215°.  The  first  portion  of  the  distillate  consists  of  a  mixture  of 
acetic  and  formic  acids,  but  contains  no  valeric  acid.  By  repeated 
fractionation,  a  laevorotatory  terpene  (b.  p.  162°)  is  separated,  capable 
of  forming  a  crystalline  hydrochloride.  The  essence  also  contains  a 
mixture  of  camphor  and  borneol ;  this  mixture  forms  an  acetate  (b.  p. 
230°),  which  is  decomposed  by  potash,  yielding  a  terpene  and  potassium 
acetate.  When  it  is  distilled  with  phosphoric  anhydride,  a  hydrocarbon 
is  obtained,  consisting  for  the  most  part  of  terpene,  and  containing  also 
