290 Chemical Notices : — M. Wurtz on Oxide of Ethylene. 



on the magnitude of the increment dV of velocity corresponding 



dV 



to the increment ds of space, and the factor —r- may be large, 



although V is small. 



Cambridge Observatory, 

 September 20, 1860. 



XXXVI. Chemical Notices from Foreign Journals. 

 By E. Atkinson, Ph.D., F.C.S. 



[Continued from p. 203.] 



WURTZ* has continued his researches on oxide of ethylene, 

 which have led to further interesting results. 

 It combines directly with acids and neutralizes them. Oxide 

 of ethylene also unites with acids, forming basic salts. When 

 it is treated with anhydrous acetic acid, acetate of glycol is 

 formed. When this body has been separated by fractional di- 

 stillation, a considerable quantity of a liquid boiling above 

 200° C. remains. By working on large quantities, three pro- 

 ducts may be obtained from this liquid, which can be regarded 

 as basic acetates of oxide of ethylene, and which really are ace- 

 tates of polyethylenic alcohols f. 



The first product boils at about 250°, and is the acetate of 

 diethylenic alcohol, formed in accordance with the reaction : 



€ 2 H 4 1 

 2(G 2 H 4 G) + G 4 H 6 G 3 = G 2 H 4 [ O 3 . 



Oxide of Anhydrous (G 2 H 3 G) 2 J 

 ethylene. acetic acid. Diethylenic acetate. 



When this compound is saponified by baryta, it is resolved 



(G 2 H 4 ) 2 "| 

 into acetate of baryta and diethylenic alcohol, v ip f G 3 , or 



Lourenco's compound J. 



The second product boils towards 290° C, and is the acetate 

 of triethylenic alcohol : — 



G 2 H 4 "| 



3(G 2 H 4 G) + G 4 H 6 G 3 = ^ h* f ° 4 - 



Oxide of Anhydrous ,~ a H3 ~. 2 

 ethylene. acetic acid. V^ 7 "■ &) J 



Triethylenic acetate. 



The third product, the acetate of tetrethylenic alcohol, boils at 

 above 300°, and must be distilled in vacuo. It is a thick liquid, 

 but perfectly colourless. 



* Comptes Rendus, June 26, 1860. 



t Phil. Mag. vol. xix. p. 124. X Ibid. p. 122. 



