and some of the Products of its decomposition. Ill 



at first, but at a certain point the contents of the retort be- 

 came thick, and on cooling solidified into a firm transparent 

 vitreous mass. 



On first observing this phoenomenon we thought it arose 

 ft'om the conversion into resin by the action of the air of a 

 portion of the raw oil which had been standing in a bottle 

 only halt-filled, and that this substance being held in solution 

 by the remaining fluid oil, was separated on distilling the latter 

 from it. A similar idea seems also to have occurred to Simon, 

 from his bestowing the name of oxide of styrole on the residue 

 found in the retort on submitting styrole to distillation. 



We soon convinced ourselves that this idea was erroneous 

 by distilling a second time a portion of newly-rectified oil. 

 A very considerable residue of solid matter, though not 

 quite so great as in the first distillation, was observed to re- 

 main in the retort. The same amount was further found in 

 a third, fourth and every succeeding distillation. The ra- 

 pidity with which styrole changes into the solid substance, in- 

 dicated sufficiently that it could not be from combination with 

 oxygen. This fact was besides established by direct experi- 

 ment. Indeed so little attraction has styrole for oxygen, that 

 it can be left exposed to air for weeks together without any 

 change in its colour. A portion of oil was confined for 

 several months over mercury in a tube filled with oxygen gas 

 without the least diminution in the volume of the latter. We 

 soon recognised that this metamorphosis of styrole takes place 

 without loss of or addition to any one of its elements, and 

 solely through a change in the molecular structure of this 

 body produced by the action of heat. Analysis as well as syn- 

 thesis has equally proved that styrole and the vitreous mass 

 (for which we propose the name of metastyrole) possess the 

 same constitution per cent. 



Metastyrole, when prepared from colourless oil, is equally 

 transparent, and possesses the same povvers of refraction as 

 the latter body *. On the other hand, it completely loses the 

 characteristic odour and taste which distinguish styrole. Me- 

 tastyrole is totally inodorous and tasteless. At the ordinary 

 temperature this body is hard and can be cut with a knife. 

 By heat it becomes soft, and can be drawn out into threads, 

 which strikingly resemble spun glass. It is insoluble in water 

 and alcohol, as well in the cold as when heated. In boiling 

 aether a small portion is dissolved, which, on leaving the solu- 

 tion to spontaneous evaporation, becomes attached to the sides 



* There is scarcely an organic body which refracts tiie rays of h"ght so 

 strongly as metastyrole. It is not improbable that it might be applied to 

 several optical purposes. 



