The apparatus to be described is a simple and efficient steam distillation apparatus.

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If, however, a similar compound is obtained from a reaction mixture containing the C2OH260 compound its properties suggest C25H340, i.e. it derives from the C2oH260 compound. SUMMARY 1. Oppenauer oxidation of vitamin A using diethyl ketone as hydrogen acceptor results in a complex mixture from which a compound C2OH260 (isomeric with retinene2) can be isolated. It gives an oxime, m.p. 175177o, isolated by previous workers. 2. The C20H260 compound, is reducible in vitro and in vivo, but the product differs from vitamin A2. 3. The Oppenauer oxidation seems to proceed via retinenel, C20H280, which can either be further dehydrogenated to C20H,60 or can condense with diethyl ketone, to a ketone C25H360. Condensation of the C20H260 compound with diethyl ketone to yield C2,H..O is not excluded. 4. Vitamin A acetate is not dehydrogenated directly to vitamin A2. We wish to thank the Medical Research Council for financial support.

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