Am,  Jour  Pharm.  1 
Dec.  1880.  / 
ChemicaL  Notes, 
6 
both  of  them  is  cinnamic  acid  (contained  in  storax  and  in  Peru  and 
tola  balsams),  or  rather  its  derivative,  nitro-cinnamic  acid,  and  of  this 
the  ortho  variety  only.  This  ortho-nitro-cinnamic  acid,  CgH4(N02). 
C3H3O2,  according  to  the  first  procedure,  is  treated  with  bromine, 
yielding  CgH4(N02)C3H3Br202 ;  this  treated  with  boiling  alcoholic  pot- 
ash solution  loses  2HBr  and  yields  CgH4{N02).C3H02.  This  com- 
pound, orthonitrophenylpropiolic  acid  by  name,  when  treated  by  an 
alkali  and  reducing  agent  simultaneously,  yields  indigo  blue  according  to 
the  following  reaction  : 
C,H,N0,  +  H,=C3H,N0+C0,+H,0. 
Baeyer  recommends  the  use  of  a  misture  of  glucose  and  an  alkaline 
carbonate.  The  reaction  takes  place  very  readily  at  i  io°C.,  indigotine 
separating  out  in  the  crystalline  form.  According  to  the  second  pro- 
cess the  nitro  cinnamic  acid  is  treated  with  hypochlorous  acid,  yielding 
CgH,(N02)C3H4C103  with  elimination  of  H2O  and  HCl.  This  com- 
pound, treated  with  boiling  caustic  alkalies,  yields  CgH4(N02)C3H303. 
The  simple  application  of  heat  (iio°C.)  decomposes  this  compound 
orthonitrophenyloxyacrylic  acid,  yielding  indigotine,  C3H5NO.  Baeyer 
iprefers,  however,  the  first  process,  as  giving  the  largest  yield  and  as, 
■moreover,  offering  the  advantage  of  having  the  iudigo  blue  produced 
right  in  the  fibre.  Thus,  if  a  textile  fibre  be  impregnated  with  a  mix- 
ture of  the  nitrophenylpropiolic  acid  and  the  glucose  and  alkaline  salt, 
and  then  exposed  to  a  current  of  superheated  steam  at  iio°C  ,  the 
indigo  is  produced  at  once  in  the  fibre.  Farther  details  as  to  relative 
cost  of  production  and  yield  possible  will  be  awaited  with  great  interest. 
— Annales  de  Chim.  et  de  Phys.^  October,  1880,  p.  286. 
On  a  New  Hydrocarbon  from  Coal  Tar^  called  Picene. — O.  Burg  has 
extracted  from  the  last  products  of  the  distillation  of  coaltar  pitch  a 
new  hydrocarbon,  to  which  he  gives  the  name  picene.  When  purified 
by  crystallization  from  boiling  cumol  it  was  gotten  in  the  form  of  white 
scales,  shosving  a  blue  fluorescence.  An  analysis  established  for  it  the 
formula  CggH^^.  It  is  insoluble  in  most  solvents,  dissolving  only  in 
slighc  amount  in  boiling  glacial  acetic  acid,  benzol  and  chloroform.  Its 
best  sjlvent  is  that  portion  of  the  light  oil  of  coal  t'ir  boiling  at  150 
to  i7o°C.  Its  fusing  point  is  34.5°C.,  the  highest  fusing  point  of  any 
known  hydrocarbon.  Burg  prepared  also  its  quinone,  called  pice- 
quinone,  C22Hj202,  and  the  bromine  derivative  Q.^^W^^y^. 
Picene  forms  a  new  member  of  the  series  of  hydrocarbons,  which 
commences  with  benzol,  C^Hg,  and  which  includes  naphthalene  C^^Hg, 
