40 THE CHEMISTKY OF ESSENTIAL OILS
having a specific gravity 0'852 and optical rotation + 24°; and an oxy-
genated body, C 10 H 20 O 3. This body boils at 227° to 230° and has a
specific gravity 1-045 and optical rotation + 6°. It has an odour recall-
ing that of peppermint. These bodies require further investigation, but
as the oil has no commercial importance, it has not attracted much at-
tention so far.ATHROTAXIS-LEAF OIL.
The leaves of Athrotaxis selaginoides, a member of the dense scrub
which abounds in the region of Williamsford, Tasmania, yield about
0-076 per cent, of essential oil, which has been examined by Baker and
Smith,^1 who give the following description of it:—
The crude oil is of a light amber colour, is somewhat mobile, and has
a secondary lemon-like odour not well defined. The oil is a terpene one,
and consisted very largely of dextro-rotatory limonene, which had the
very high specfic rotation [a]D = + 112'2°. The oil is somewhat insoluble
in 90°/ 0 alcohol, but it formed a clear solution with absolute alcohol in
all proportions. Pinene was probably present, but in traces only. A
small amount of an ester was found, but sufficient material was not
available to enable either the alcohol or the acid to be identified.
The oil contained a fair amount of a constituent boiling above 270° C.
—evidently a sesquiterpene or similar body. The reactions for cadinene
were not satisfactorily obtained, although some of the results would seem
to indicate the presence of that sesquiterpene.
The specific gravity of the crude oil at if° C. = 0-8755; rotation
aD « + 74-8°; the refractive index at 16° C. = 1-4905. The saponifica-
tion number for the esters was 8- 6, equal to 3 per cent, of ester as
bor nyl-acetate.
Only a small quantity of the oil could be spared for analysis, but this
on redistillation gave a very small amount boiling below 174° C. Be-
tween 174° and 177° C., 47 per cent, distilled ; between 177° and 200°,
23 per cent, distilled; the temperature then quickly rose to 275°, and be-
tween that and 295° C. 12 per cent, distilled.
The specific gravity of the first fraction at if° C. = 0-8446; of the
second, - 0'8494; of the third, 0'9373. The rotation of the first frac-
tion, aD = + 90-2°; of the second, + 91-8°; of the third, + 29'6°.
On again distilling the first two fractions, 28 per cent, of the total oil
came over between 174
°
to 175° C., and 18' per cent, between 175° to
176° C. (cor.). The specific gravity of the first fraction at 19° C. =
0-8427 ; and of the second, 08425.
The rotation of the first fraction aD = + 91-4^ or specific rotation
[a] = + 108-5°; of the second, + 945°, or specific rotation [a]D _ +
112-2". The refractive index of the first fraction at 20° C. = 1-4783 ; of
the second, 1*4785.
The teti^Jbromide was readily prepared from both fractions, and this
melted at 104° C.
From the above it is evident that the larger portion of the lower boil-
ing constituents of the oil of this tree is dextro-rotatory limonene.
Dipentene does not occur. From the slightly lower rotation and boiling-
point of the first fraction, it is probable that a small amount of pinene
was present, but it can only occur in traces. A trace of the sesquiterpene
(^1) The Pines of Australia, 303.