182 Mr GRAHAM'S Account of the Formation of Alcoates. 



These solid compounds of salts and alcohol, which are definite 

 and imperfectly crystallizable, may be denominated Alco-ates, a 

 designation which is not unexceptionable, but appeared to me 

 preferable to the name Vinate, as there is a sulpho-vinous acid, 

 or to any other name that might have been imposed upon them. 



The alcoates which I succeeded in forming are not numerous. 

 They were formed simply by dissolving the salts, previously ren- 

 dered anhydrous, in absolute alcohol, with the assistance of heat. 

 On cooling, the alcoates were deposited in the solid state. The 

 crystallization was generally confused, but in some cases crystal- 

 line forms appeared of a singular description. The crystals are 

 transparent, decidedly soft, and easily fusible by heat in their 

 alcohol of crystallization, which is generally considerable, amount- 

 ing in one instance to nearly three-fourths of the weight of the 

 crystals. 



1. Akoate of Chloride of Calcium. 



Pure muriate of lime was dried as much as possible on a sand- 

 bath of the temperature of 600 or 700, and then slowly heated 

 to redness, and retained for some time at that temperature. The 

 dry chloride of calcium thus obtained dissolves in absolute alco- 

 hol at 60 with great facility, and with the production of much 

 heat, sometimes occasioning the boiling of the solution. The 

 quantity of chloride taken up increases with the temperature ; 

 and at 173, the boiling point of alcohol, 10 parts alcohol dissolve 

 7 parts chloride of calcium. This solution is thick and viscid, 

 but perfectly transparent, provided the chloride be pure. It 

 boils at 195, alcoholic as well as aqueous solutions boiling at 

 higher temperatures than the pure liquids. The viscidity of 

 the solution of chloride of calcium increases greatly as it cools. 

 Bright crystalline stars soon appear on the surface and on the 



