178 THE CHEMISTKY OF ESSENTIAL OILS
(d) Safrol C 10 H 10 O 2. The fractions- of the oil with the highest
boiling-points were found to be a mixture of eugenol methyl ether with
another compound, the separation of which was effected by repeated
fractional distillation. A nearly colourless liquid was obtained which
boiled at 233°, and had the characteristic odour of safrol. Its combus-
tion figures agreed well with those for C 10 H 10 O 2. On exposing the oil
to the temperature of boiling ammonia, it congealed to form white silky
needles, melting at 8° to 12°. It was thus definitely identified as safrol.
The composition of the oil is therefore as follows: Eugenol
methyl ether, 50 to 60 per cent.; pinene, 15 to 20 per cent. ; camphor,
15 to 20 per cent.; and safrol, 5 to 10 per cent.BOLDO LEAF OIL.
The dried leaves of Pneumus Boldo yield about 2 per cent, of an
oil resembling wormseed oil in odour. The oil has the following
characters:—
Specific gravity 0'915 to 0-960
Optical rotation.. - 2° „ + le
Kefractive index 1-4798
Acid value 1 to 3
Ester „,, 11-2
According to Schimmel & Co.
1
this oil contains ^-cymene, cineol,
and ascaridol, C 10 H 16 O 2. Traces of terpenes and phenols are also
present. Tardy has reported on an oil under this name which had a
specific gravity 0
- 876, and optical rotation - 6° 30'. It contained
a-pinene, dipentene, terpineol, cumic aldehyde, eugenol, sesquiterpenes,
and acetic esters.
EUPHORBIACEJE.
OIL OF CASCARILLA.
The barks of Croton Eluteria and Croton Caacarilla form the Cas-
carilla bark of commerce. These trees are found in the Bahamas, and
the bark on distillation yields from 1 to 3 per cent, of essential oil. The
oil has the following characters :—
Specific gravity 0 898 to 0-928
Optical rotation........ + 1° „ + 14°
Refractive index 1-4910 ,, 1-4960
Acid value 3 „ 9
Ester ,, 5 „ 12
„ „ (after acetylation) 67 „ 72
The oil is soluble in all proportions in 90 pei cent, alcohol. The
older researches on this oil are not to be depended on. According to
Fendler^2 the oil contains about 2 per cent, of free acids, of which the
principal is cascarillic acid, C^HgoOg, melting at - 18°, and isomeric
with undecylenic acid. Palmitic and stearic acid were also found in
traces. Traces of a phenol, Z-limonene, an unidentified terpene, cymene,
and two sesquiterpenes were also found present in the oil. A sesqui-
terpene alcohol C 15 H 23 OH was identified in the high boiling fractions.
OIL OF CATHETUS FASCICULATA.
Cathetus fasciculate Lour. (Phyllanthus cochin-chinensis Muell.)
one of the Euphorbiacese which is found in Southern China and in
1
Schimmel's Bericht, April/1888, 43.
2
Arch, der Pharm., 238 (1900), 671.