STEAROPTEN  OE  THE  OIL  OF  THE  PTYCHOTIS  AJOWAN.  151 
taneously  on  the  surface  of  the  distilled  water  of  the  Ajowan 
grains." 
The  stearopten  forms  very  transparent  and  symmetrical  crys- 
tals, some  of  which  are  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  inch  long. 
The  crystals  of  the  stearopten  are  heavier  than  water ;  their 
odor  is  very  peculiar  and  pungent,  somewhat  resembling  the  oils 
of  thyme  and  marjorum.  Their  melting  point  is  42°  C,  and 
they  can  be  distilled  over  in  a  current  of  carbonic  acid  gas.  Af- 
ter having  been  dried  in  vacuo  they  were  analyzed  in  the  usual 
way  with  chromate  of  lead. 
I.  0.1613  grammes  of  substance  gave  0.411  grammes  of  car- 
bonic acid  and  0.1372  grammes  of  water. 
II.  0."22  grammes  of  substance  gave  0.5555  grammes  of  car- 
bonic acid  and  0.1  grammes  of  water. 
Calculated.  Found. 
204 
69.84    .  . 
,    .  69.49 
68.86 
34 
8.99    .  . 
.  9.45 
9.57 
1 
»** 
80 
21.17    .  . 
• 
378 
100.00 
From  these  results,  therefore,  it  follows  that  the  empirical  for- 
mula of  the  stearopten  is  C44  H34  O10 
The  stearopten  is  a  perfectly  neutral  body,  and  neither  com- 
bines with  alkalies  nor  acids,  but  by  boiling  with  strong  acids  or 
alkalies  it  is  decomposed.  The  products  of  the  decomposition 
have  not  yet  been  examined. 
When  a  stream  of  chlorine  gas  was  passed  through  the  melted 
stearopten,  it  was  rapidly  absorbed,  and  so  much  heat  was 
evolved  that  the  vessel  containing  the  stearopten  required  to  be 
cooled. 
The  chlorine  compound  has  a  deep  yellow  color,  and  crystal- 
lizes in  beautiful  needles.  The  original  stearopten  is  exceedingly 
soluble,  both  in  alcohol  and  ether,  but  the  chlorine  compound  is 
much  less  soluble  in  cold  alcohol  and  ether,  but  tolerably  solu- 
ble in  hot  alcohol.  After  having  been  several  times  crystallized 
out  of  alcohol,  and  submitted  to  pressure  between  folds  of  blot- 
ting-paper, it  is  rendered  perfectly  pure. 
After  having  been  dried  in  vacuo  : 
