A quantitative analysis has been made of the composition of each of the classes of aliphatic constituents known to exist in hydrolysed wool wax. These classes consist of α-hydroxy acids, ω-hydroxy acids, alkanoic acids, monohydric alcohols, and α,β-diols. Each has been found to contain members of the normal, iso-, and anteiso-homologous series of compounds. The analysis was carried out by saponification of the wax and separation of the constituents into the above classes which were separately reduced to the corresponding hydrocarbon mixtures. The composition of these mixtures was determined by gas chromatographic separation.

S m r y A quantitative examination has been made of the components of hydrolysed beeswax.This was achieved by separation into hydrocarbons, monohydric alcohols, " diols ", acids, and hydroxyacids. The alcohol and acid fractions were reduced to the corresponding hydrocarbon mixtures and these together with the naturally occurring hydrocarbons were examined by gas chromatography, which demonstrated their straight-chain character and gave the chain lengths and percentage composition of the components.

All Cyclonite prepared by nitrolysis of hexamethylenetetramine has been found to contain 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazacycloöctatie (HMX). This impurity is not present in Cyclonite prepared by oxidation of 1,3,5-trinitroso-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane. The oxidation yields 1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triaza-cyclohexane as an intermediate. There seems then to be a difference in reactivity of two of the three aza linkages in triazacyclohexanes.

The hydrolytic products of carnauba wax, previously shown to consist mainly of straight-chain alcohols, α,ω-diols, alkanoic acids, and ω-hydroxyalkanoic acids, have been reexamined by gas chromatographic methods to provide a qualitative and quantitative knowledge of the components. These components, shown to be almost entirely straight chain in character, are largely even carbon numbered compounds, but odd chain-lengths are present. The hydrocarbons are likewise of odd and even carbon number with the odd members (90%) predominating. An unidentified compound, possibly an unsaturated steroid diol, has been isolated from the unsaponifiable fraction.

The nitrolysis of hexamethylenetetramine by the method of Hale yields, in addition to Cyclonite, an aqueous diluate which contains either dimethylolnitramide, its dinitrate ester, or both. The presence of dimethylolnitramide can be demonstrated by its condensation with methylenediamine to give 1,5-dinitro-3,7-endomethy¡ene-1,3,5,7-tetrazacycloöctane (DPT). The latter compound was identified by nitrolysis to 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazacycloöctane. The validity of the Mannich-type condensation of dimethylolnitramide from the Hale diluate (or from formaldehyde and nitramide) to form DPT has been attested by similar condensations with methylamine, ethylenediamine, cyclohexylamine, and benzylamine. In one of these condensations acetaldehyde has replaced part of the formaldehyde. Dimethylolnitramide has further been characterized by its conversion to 3,7-dinitro-3,7-diaza-1,5-dioxacycloöctane. Nitrolysis of the latter forms sym. dinitroxydimethylnitramide, which can be acetolyzed to sym. diacetoxydimethylnitramide.