OLEFINE 

TERPENES Myrcene, C,oHic, was first isolated by F . B . Power and C . Klebet from oil of bay (Schimmel & Co., Bulletin, April 1895, p . II); it is also found in oil of sassafras leaves . It is obtained from bay oil by shaking the oil with a 5 per cent. solution of caustic soda, followed by fractionation in vacuo . It boils at 67-68° C . (20 mrn.), and polymerizes when heated for some time . When oxidized by potassium permanganate it yields succinic acid . By the action of glacial acetic acid in the presence of dilute sulphuric acid, a liquid is produced, which on hydrolysis yields myrcenol, C,oH,30, an alcohol which is probably an isomer of linalool (P . Barbier, Corn pies rendus, 1901, 132, p . 1048) .

The

hydrocarbon is probably to be considered as being (CH3)2C : CH . (CH2)2 . C(: CH2) . CH : CH2 (Enklaar, Bulletin of Rouse-Bertrand fits, Nov., 1906, p . 92) . Ocymene is an isomer which can be extracted from the leaves of the basil . Enklaar (loc. cit.) represents it as (CH3)2C: CH . CH2 . CH : C(CH3) • CH : CH2 . Anhydro-geraniol, C,oHls, the first olefine terpene isolated, was pre; pared in 1891 by F . W . Semmler; it is formed when geraniol is heated with potassium bisulphate to 170`' C .