Nomenclature
Wood oil; “East Indian Copaiba”. Description and references
Oleoresin from various species of Dipterocarpus,
Dipterocarpaceae. Habit. Eastern India, Burma. Constit. About 75% volatile oil, boiling at about 255°; gurjunic acid, resin,
bitter substance sol in water. Isoln of an optically inactive sesquiterpene δ-elemene,
from gurjun balsam: Gough, Powell, Tetrahedron
Lett. 1961, 763.
Properties
Clear liquid, light brown by transmitted light
with greenish fluorescence; somewhat bitter, but not very acrid taste.
Acid no. 5-15. Sapon no. 10-20 (2 g in 20 g xylene for 1 hr). d 0.95-0.97; [α]D 23 to 70°; nD28 1.510-1.516. Insol in water. Completely sol in benzene,
chloroform; incompletely in alcohol, ether, carbon disulfide, petr
ether.Use
As of copaiba; adapted for varnishes and lacquers,
particularly for articles to be exposed to a temp of 80° or so.