The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants

ARTIFICIAL PREPARATION OF OIL OF CINNAMON. BY A. STRECKER. Some years since, Strecker has shown that styrone, which is obtained when styracine is treated with potash, is the alcohol of cinnamic acid. Wolff has converted this alcohol by oxidizing agents into cinnamic acid. The author has now proved that under the same conditions by which ordinary alcohol affords aldehyde, styrone affords the aldehyde of cinnamic acid, that is, oil of cinnamon. It is only necessary to moisten platinum black with styrone, and let it remain in the air some days, when by means of the bisulphite of potash the aldehyde double compound may be obtained in crystals, which should be washed in ether. By the addition of diluted sulphuric acid, the aldehyde of cinnamic acid is afterwards procured pure. These crystals also dissolve in nitric acid, and then form after a few moments crystals of the nitrate of the hyduret of cinnamyle. The conversion of styrone into the hyduret of cinnamyle by the action of the platinum black is shown by the following equation: C{18}H{10}O{2} + 2 O = C{18}H{8}O{2} + 2 HO.--Comptes Rendus.