Chemistry of Essential Oils

314 THE CHBMISTEY OF ESSENTIAL OILS

Fractionation—

Below 180

185

190

195

200

205

210

215

220

225

230

235

240

2 per <sent-

24

36

46

50

56

58

63

66

70

76

86

practical]y all

The odour is distinctly sweeter than the normal cummin oil and a>
little more reminiscent of caraway, although, from the figures above
indicated, it does not seem to contain a higher percentage of cumic.
aldehyde. Carvone does not appear to be present. •

OIL OF LOVAGE.
Oil of lovage is obtained by distilling the roots of Levisticum offi-
cinale with steam, the yield being under 1 per cent. The oil is a
somewhat dark brown viscous liquid having an odour of angelica, and
possessing the following characters :—
Specific gravity 1-000 to 1-050
Optical rotation + 1° „ + 7°
Refractive index 1-5390 „ 1-5520
It is soluble in 3 volumes of 80 per cent, alcohol. Braunl has
investigated it, but he did not succeed in characterising any single
constituent of the oil. Schimmel & Co. have detected terpineol in it,
but, so far, the other constituents are unknown. The fresh herb also
yields from 1 to 2 per cent, of an oil of specific gravity -905 to '940
and optical rotation + 15° to + 45°. The fruit yields 1 to 2 per cent, of
an oil of specific gravity -930 to -940. Lovage oil is chiefly employed
in liqueur and cordial making.

OIL OF CELERY.
All parts of the herb Apium graveolens, the common celery, yield
essential oils, of which that from the seeds is most valued. Schimmel
& Co., however, state that that from the green leaves most exactly re-
produces the natural celery flavour. The oil from the seed is obtained
to the extent of about 3 per cent., as a liquid of strong celery odour
having the following characters:—

Specific gravity 0-860 to 0*895
Optical rotation + 60° to + 82° (rarely + 40°)
Refractive index 1-4780 to 1-4860
The constituent present in greatest quantity is dextro-limonene^
Ciamician and Silber^2 have recently examined the high boiling frac-
tions of the oil and found therein traces of palmitic acid, guaiacol, and
a crystalline phenol of the formula C 16 H 20 O 3 , melting at 66° to 67°. In
addition, a sesquiterpene was found, and two bodies, both acids, of a.
peculiar constitution, sedanolic and sedanonic acids, together with the
lactone of the former, sedanolide, which appears to be the chief odor-

(^1) Arch. Pharm., 1897, iii. 1. *Berichte, 30 (1897), 492, 1419.