Knowledge of Conjugate Compounds. 177 



The oxalate of chloro-carbon remains dissolved in water, 

 and may be ultimately separated from the muriatic acid mixed 

 with it and crystallized, by evaporation iu vacuo over lime and 

 sulphuric acid. The silver salt of this acid does not contain 

 any hydrogen : it detonates by heating, and becomes black by 

 exposure in the air. 0396 grm. left by a red heat 0*210 grm. 

 chloride of silver. 



0*658 grm. burned with oxide of copper, produced 0'214< 

 grm. of carbonic acid. These numbers correspond in 100 

 parts to 39'9 of silver and 8*9 of carbon. The formula Ag O 

 + C2 Cig Cg O3 requires 40*0 silver and 8*9 of carbon. 



If we admit these simple facts, then it follows that the acetic 

 acid, which has been until now only known as a product of 

 the oxidation of organic matters, can be also formed syntheti- 

 cally from its elements. Sulphuret of carbon, chloride of car- 

 bon, and oxalate of chloro-carbon are the members which in 

 conjunction with the elements of water constitute the means of 

 transition from carbon to acetic acid. 



The oxalate of chloro-carbon can also be changed like 

 the hyposulphate of chloro-carbon by the galvanic current, 

 alkali being present, into acetic acid. I have likewise obtained 

 certain signs of the existence of the corresponding members 

 of the hyposulphate of chloro-formyle and hyposulphate of 

 chlor-elayle, which lie between the oxalate of chloro-carbon 

 and acetic acid. All these facts seem to speak in its favour, 

 and make it at the same time highly probable that the acetic 

 acid is a conjoined compound, or, in other words, methyl- 

 oxalic acid, HO + Cg Hg, Cg Og. 



I shall communicate these observations in a future paper 

 after the examination is terminated. 



It follows from the above, that without doing homage to 

 the new theory of substitution, we may assume, as an un- 

 doubted fact, a reciprocal exchange of hydrogen and chlorine. 

 Methyle or perchloride of carbon may be conjoined with hypo- 

 sulphuric acid, the character of the compound will be little 

 changed by it ; but nevertheless, there is no reason for sup- 

 posing hyposulphate of methyle to be hyposulphate of chloro- 

 carbon, in which hydrogen takes the part of chlorine. The 

 assertion reversed would be equally true. It is a constant fact 

 that several, perhaps, isomorphic combinations can be repre- 

 sented as conjuncts of one and the same acid, without an 

 essential change of the acid properties of the conjoined body. 

 The organic bases containing chlorine, which have been newly 

 discovered by Hofmann*, may perhaps be elucidated in a simi- 

 lar point of view. 



* [Phil. Mag. S. 3. vol. xxvi. p. 385.] 



Phil. Mag. S. 3. Vol. 27. No. 179. Sept. 184.5. N 



