Chemistry of Essential Oils

SANTALACE^E 183

Colour.

Heartwood, Pale

„ „ Dark

Sapwood, Palo.

0-9786

0-9816

0-9808

, Acid I Ester

•>u° v. I v.

21° 50'

• 20° 55'
  21° 15'

1-50698

1-50651

1-50670

1-9

1-9

1-9

5-6

5-6

5-6

Ester

Santalol.

Per Cent.

2-2

2-2

2-2

Ester v.

Acet.

207-2

207-2

206-2

Total

Santalol.

Per Cent.

96-5

96-4

95-8

All the samples gave a clear solution with 3'5 volumes of 70 per cent,

alcohol.

The author and Bennett have recently examined a number of oils

offered at low prices, and although the better samples, at prices very

close to that of the pure oil, have so far evaded any attempt to discover

the adulteration, if any, of them, in the lowest grade there is little doubt

that there is present the so-called West Indian sandal oil, or, probably, a

fractionated oil with the more insoluble portions removed. Two

oils of this type which were examined exhibit the characters as

follows:—

Specific Gravity....

Optical Botation ....

Refractive Index ....

Esters (as Santalyl Acetate).

Total Santalol ....

Solubility in 6 vols. 70 per cent. Alcoho

Specific Gravity of Acetylated Oil

XbOvauou .....

Refractive Index ....

1.

0-976

• 10°
  1-5070
  5 - 7 per cent.
  82-2 „
  Soluble
  0-983
  — 8°
  1-4952

2.

0-9755

• 9° SO'
  1-5068
  5 per cent.
  83 „
  Soluble
  0-9846
  — 8°
  1-4963

The oils were by distillation separated into ten fractions of 10 per
cent. each. The characters of these fractions show that one was dealing
with a body having the properties of sesquiterpene derivatives, and the
odour of the first fractions suggested West Indian oil:—

1.

Fraction.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Specific Gravity.

0-963

0-969

0-973

0-976

0-977

0-977

0-978

0-980

0-984

Optical Rotation.

• 7°


• 6° 30'


• 5° 30'


• 5° 30'


• 5° 40'


• 7°


• 8° 30'


• 10° 25'


• 14° 45'

Refractive Index.

1-5040

1-5060

1-5070

1-5080

1-5082

1-5085

1-5089

1-5090

1-5103