104 Dr. Kane on the Combinations derived from Pyroacetic Spirit. 



II. 0.433 material gave 



0.410 water. 

 1.139 carbonic acid. 



Giving 



49.78 100.00 

 which is evidently its composition. 



III. CHLORIDE OF MESITYL. 



The preparation of this body in a state of purity proper for analysis is 

 extremely difficult. If liquid muriatic acid and mesitic alcohol be mixed, the 

 mixture assumes a dark colour; but on distillation, the mesitic alcohol is separated 

 almost completely unchanged. If a stream of muriatic acid gas be passed into 

 mesitic alcohol, it is absorbed rapidly and in large quantity, the solution becomes 

 dark-brown, intensely acid and dense. The stream of gas must be continued for 

 several days uninterruptedly, in order to produce the decomposition of two ounces 

 volume of mesitic alcohol. When the dark heavy liquor thus obtained is washed 

 with water, in which it sinks to the bottom, a large quantity of free muriatic acid 

 is given off, and the fluid thus obtained, having been digested on some litharge, 

 and then on fused chloride of calcium, is an impure chloride of mesityl. It 

 sinks rapidly in water; is always dark-coloured; if freshly made it does not 

 affect litmus paper, but being preserved for a night is sufficient to render it so 



