Eugenic  Acid,  445 
A  fresh  portion  of  oil  was  treated  with  an  excess  of  strong  potassa 
solution,  diluted,  permitted  to  stand  for  a  time  in  a  test  tube,  and  the 
light  oil  rising  to  the  surface  was  separated  ;  if  an  excess  of  water  was 
added  the  eugenate  of  potassium  would  be  decomposed. 
To  a  small  portion  of  the  light  oi),  after  it  was  carefully  dried,  bright 
pieces  of  metallic  sodium  were  added  ;  these  produced  no  immediate 
effect,  the  sodium  remaining  bright  ;  but  after  twenty-four  hours  the 
light  oil  became  a  brownish-red,  the  sodium  still  remaining  brilliant  \ 
when  oil  of  pimento  is  thus  treated  with  sodium  a  rise  of  temperature 
ensues,  effervescence  takes  place,  and  a  solid  mass  results. 
When  oil  of  bay  was  treated  in  a  similar  manner  a  yellowish-white 
precipitate  was  formed,  which  dissolved  in  an  excess  of  the  potassa 
solution  ;  the  light  oil  separated  without  distillation. 
When  I5'5  grams  of  the  oil  of  bay  were  treated  like  oil  of  cloves 
and  oil  of  pimento  7*5  grams  of  eugenic  acid  were  obtained,  which 
when  rectified  left  6*4  grams  ;  this  shows  41  per  cent. 
Treated  with  metallic  sodium,  the  light  oil  from  oil  of  bay  when 
dried  was  not  affected  \  upon  standing,  it  became  red-brown. 
The  oil  of  bay  when  treated  with  metallic  sodium  effervesces,  rises 
in  temperature  and  becomes  a  crystalline  mass;  strong  nitric  acid  reacts 
violently  with  it,  but  does  not  take  fire,  becoming  at  length  of  a  deep 
brown  red  color ;  strong  sulphuric  acid  turns  it  brown-red  without 
effervescence,  and  does  not  acquire  the  purple  color  that  oil  of  cloves 
does. 
The  eugenic  acid  from  oil  of  bay  gave  a  crimson-red  color  with  sul- 
phuric acid  ;  sulphuric  acid  and  bichromate  of  potassium  turned  green, 
which  gradually  deepened  on  standing  ;  strong  nitric  acid  gave  a  deep 
brown  red  liquid  and  a  resinous  mass. 
The  reactions  with  oil  of  cloves  and  strong  sulphuric  acid,  first  a 
red  and  finally  a  deep  purple  color  ;  with  oil  of  pimento,  a  deep  crim- 
son-red color. 
Eugenic  acid  from  oil  of  cloves,  first  a  red  color,  changing  to  a  pur- 
ple not  so  deep  as  that  from  the  oil. 
Eugenic  acid  from  oil  of  pimento,  same  red  color,  changing  to  purple. 
Oil  of  cloves  when  treated  with  sulphuric  acid  and  bichromate  of 
potassium  first  yields  a  dark  green  color,  which  deepens  on  standing  ; 
the  oil  of  pimento  and  eugenic  acid  from  each  of  the  oils  first  gives  a 
light  green,  which  deepens  upon  standing  ;  in  each  of  the  oils  the 
Am.  Jour.  Pharni. ) 
Sept.,  1880.  j 
