A Manual of the Chemistry of the Carbon Compounds

376 THE CHEMISTRY OF
isoxylene, by dissolving the hydrocarbon in cold, fuming nitric acid
It in a pole-yellow liquid, boiling at 239°,
pinitro-wxylene C^H^NOACCHj)^ crystallizes from alcohol in long
brilliant prisms, melting at 93 .
Trinitro-isoxylene C0H(NOJ)8(CHJ)8 forms colourless crystals, melting
at 177°.
Amido-isoxylme CaH,(fTH3)(CH8)i is a colourless liquid, boiling at
216°, and forming crystallizable salts.
ORTHOXYJLENE, OR 1*2 DIMETHYL-TOLUENE.
This hydrocarbon has been obtained by distilling paraxylio acid
e H/OH^COH / ^ j with lime. It is a liquid, q , boiling g at 140°, , and
possessing a peculiar, li unpleasant l t odour. d It does d not form f readily dil
solid nitro-conipounds.
XYLKNOIS,
lsozylenol C6BL(OH)(CHg)y—When mesitylenesulphonic acid is
heated with potash to 250°, it is converted into oxymesitylenie acid,
which, by heating the fused mass to 290°, is changed into isoxylenol;
(1) CftfCH^K + 3KOH „ C6H2(CH3)a jg*^ + 3HaO
(2) C,H,(Cfl^ { °*K + KOH = C6H8(CHSXOK + K,COS
It is a crystalline solid, melting at 75°, and boiling at 216°.
By dissolving crude xylene in sulphuric acid, and fusing the
xylenesulphonic acid with caustic potash, two xylenols are obtained;
one seems to be identical with that obtained from mesitylene, and the
other is a colourless, strongly refraotive liquid, hoiling at 211 O *5,
Phlorone, or Xyloyrimm 0JB,^GH^«O« is produced by treating
coaltar-oil or creosote, boiling above 210 , with manganese dioxide
and sulphuric acid. It forms golden-yellow, oblique, rhombic prisms;
on heating, it gives off a very pungent smell, which attacks violently
the eyes and mucous membranes. It is soluble in boiling water,
and sublimes on heating.
Hydrophiorom, or Xylohydroquinme C0H?(CH8)o(OH)a, is obtained
by reducing phlorone with sulphurous acid, and crystallizes from
boiling water in white, pearly scales.
Bctcwrtin CgH^OH),, is obtained from usnic acid, and similar acids
occurring in lichens, by the same method by which oroin is prepared
from orseltinio acid. It is soluble in water and alcohol, and crystal-