a temperature range of above about 100 u00b0 c to below about 170 u00b0 c the preferred temperature of decomposition is 125 u00b0 c to 140 u00b0 c the rate of decomposition was found to be slow below 110 u00b0 c the quaternary ammonium hydroxide is decomposed for convenience preferably in the presence of sodium hydroxide solution alternately the quaternary ammonium hydroxide can be heated alone in order to bring about decomposition this latter alternative is commercially less attractive because of the difficulty of isolating the quaternary ammonium hydroxide in the preferred manner of operation the neutralized aqueous solution of the quaternary ammonium salt is fed to a refluxing solution of a base such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide at a rate proportional to the rate of steam distillation of the myrcenol and ocimenol from the decomposition in order to achieve more rapid rates of decomposition the reaction temperature must be in the vicinity of at least 120 u00b0 c to achieve such a temperature the sodium hydroxide solution must be at least 25 in concentration weaker concentrations tend to give lower reflux temperatures and thus slower rates good results are obtained using solutions containing 50 60 aqueous alkali which give reflux temperatures of 135 u00b0 to 140 u00b0 c the preferred range is 125 u00b0 to 140 u00b0 c concentration.