M. Freund on the Synthesis of Acetone, 201 



with anhydrous acetic acid. It boils at 180°, and has the for- 

 mula C 14 H 10 O 8 = C 6 H 4 O 2 , 2 C 4 H 3 O 3 . It is decomposed by 

 potash into acroleine and acetate of potash. 



When acroleine is treated with bisulphite of soda, a solution 

 is obtained which does not possess the odour of acroleine. It 

 does not disengage acroleine when treated with carbonate of soda, 

 nor sulphurous acid when treated with sulphuric acid. 



Freund has made a series of experiments* on the synthesis of 

 acetone. By the action of chloride of acetyle on zincethyle, he 

 obtained a liquid difficultly soluble in water, and with an odour 

 resembling that of acetone. The boiling-point was found to be 

 between 77°*5 and 80°*5. When agitated with a concentrated 

 solution of bisulphite of soda, it became warm and gave a cry- 

 stalline compound. 



The formula of the body is € 4 H 8 0, and its formation maybe 

 thus expressed : — 



Zn€ 2 H 5 +€ 2 H 3 OCl=ZnCl + € 4 H 8 0. 

 Zincethyle. Chloride of New body, 



acetyle. 



Chloride of propionyle and zincethyle gave a body of the com- 

 position G 5 H 10 O, difficultly soluble -in water, with the odour of 

 acetone. Its boiling-point was between 100° and 101° C. 



The action of chloride of acetyle on zincmethyle gave rise to a 

 copious disengagement of gaseous products ; a liquid was obtained 

 which was entirely soluble in water, and also a liquid insoluble 

 in water, which is now under investigation. From the part 

 which dissolved in water a liquid was separated, which boiled 

 between 56° and 60° C. It had an odour exactly resembling 

 that of acetone, and gave with bisulphite of soda a compound 

 crystallizing in nacreous laminae. It was found to have the 

 formula G 3 H 6 O, and is consequently identical with acetone. Its 

 formation would be thus expressed : — 



Zn€H 3 + € 2 H 3 OCl=ZnCl + G 3 H 6 0. 

 Zincmethyle. Chloride of Acetone, 



acetyle. 



Fittig has continuedf the investigation of pinakone%, the body 

 obtained by the action of sodium on acetone. It dissolves in 

 sulphuric acid to a clear colourless liquid, which when heated 

 became turbid, and separated as a yellowish oil, which distils 

 over colourless with aqueous vapour. This oil has the composi- 

 tion C 12 H 12 2 . It is also produced by the action of hydro- 

 chloric acid and of chlorine on pinakone ; in the latter case it is 

 accompanied by small quantities of substitution products. Fittig 



* Liebig's Annalen, July 1860. f Ibid. April 1860. 



X Phil. Mag. vol. xix. p. 117. 

 Phil, Mag. S. 4. Vol. 20. No. 132. Sept. 18G0. P 



