MR. ROWNEY ON THE OCCURRENCE OF Y.--On the occurrence of Capric and GapryEic acids in some Fousel oils BY THOMAS H. ROWNEY,F.C.S. ASSISTANT IN DR. ANDERSON'S LABORATORY EDINBURGH. In a paper read before the Royal Society of Edinburgh and pub- lished in their Transactions,* I pointed out that capric acid could be obtained from the fousel oil procured from some of the Scotch distilleries. At the same time I mentioned that another acid was present but in such small quantity that its constitution could not be ascertained. The capric acid was found in the residue obtained after distilling off the amylic alcohol and in that portion of the residue having the * Vol. XX,Part 2nd. p. 219 ; abstr. Chem. SOC. Qu. J. IV. 3'12. CAPRlC AND CAPRYLIC ACIDS IN SOME FOUSEL OILS.23 highest boiling point viz. above 240' C. A subsequent examination of the portion boiling between 190'C. and 22OoC. enabled me to obtain a sufficient quantity of the second acid to determine its com- position. The oily residue was boiled with a strong solution of caustic potassa ; dilute sulphuric acid was added to the cold alkaline solution ; and the oil which rose to the surface was filtered off and washed with cold water ; it was then dissolved in a solution of ammonia and preci- pitated by chloride of barium and this precipitate was collected on a filter and washed with cold water. The baryta-salt was dissolved in boiling water filtered and allowed to crystallize ; the crystals ob- tained were caprate of baryta.This salt was separated by filtering and the mother-liquor was concentrated by evaporation on a water-bath. When reduced to about one-third of its bulk it was allowed to cool when it deposited an abundant crop of crystals; the mother liquor from these crystals gave another crop by being again concentrated. The baryta-salt was purified by re-crystallization and an analysis made of it. The baryta was determined as carbonate by ignition in a platinum crucible the salt burning very readily I. -2872grms. of substance dried at 100°C. gave *1840 , > carbonate of baryta. 11. *3300grms. of substance gave .1535 , , carbonate of baryta. 111. 02930grms. of substance gave 01360 , , carbonate of baryta. IV. 02705 grrns. of substance dried at 1ooOC.and burnt with chromate of lead gave *4487 , , carbonic acid and *1772 , > water. V. *2973grms. of substance gave -4940 , -1988 , >, cakbonic acid and , water. MR. RIASKELYNE ON THE 1. 11. 111. Mean. Ba 0 36-24 36-12 36-04 36.13. 1V. V. Mean. Carbon 45-24 45.31 45.28 Hydrogen 7.28 7-42 7.35. The numbers obtained correspond with those for capryIate of baryta as will be seen by comparing the theoretical numbers with those obtained by experiment. Mean of experiment. CIB 96 45-37 45.28 HI5 15 7-09 7.35 03 24 11*34 11-24 &8 76-6 3&20 36.13 211.6 100*00 ioo.00 This examination shows that in addition to the usual constituents of fousel-oil viz. water alcohoI and amylic alcohol the fousel-oil obtained from some of the Scotch distilleries contains compounds having a higher boiling point than amylic alcohol and that caprie and caprylic acids are present in these compounds but whether as amyl or ethy1 compounds could not be ascertained as no fixed bdng point could be obtained on distillation.