548 Mr. Bowman on Tribasic Boracic Mtlier. 



did not sensibly change, though it had risen considerably 

 while the heavy one was forming. The weight of the liquid 

 in the bulbs increased during the operation about 50 per cent. 

 From the heavy fluid I have been unable to obtain, after 

 repeated distillations, a perfectly homogeneous compound. It 

 appears to consist chiefly of a chlorinated compound, and 

 gives on analysis — 



46-29 C "j 



11-86 H \ 



32-32 O J 



9-53 CI 



nearly in the proportion of alcohol ; 

 and a trace of boracic acid. 



100-00 



When first distilled it gave off a large quantity of acid 

 fumes, consisting chiefly of hydrochloric acid and chloride of 

 sethyle. Its boiling-point appears to be about 190°, and its 

 specific gravity 0*901. Its smell is aromatic, its taste acid 

 and pungent. It fumes slightly in the air, and is miscible 

 with alcohol and aether. Ammonia decomposes it, with for- 

 mation of muriate of ammonia, and solution of potash pro- 

 duces chloride of potassium. It is very combustible, reddens 

 litmus, and turns turmeric brown. 



Though the two fluids are apparently so completely im- 

 miscible, they nevertheless dissolve each other to a certain 

 extent, and retain that small quantity with very considerable 

 force ; so that in almost every rectification of the heavy liquid 

 a few drops of the lighter one distilled over. 



The lighter liquid has furnished more satisfactory results. 

 When first heated it gave off fumes of hydrochloric acid and 

 chloride of sethyle. It retained with considerable tenacity a 

 small portion of the heavy fluid, with which it evidently mixes 

 in small and definite quantity, and then refuses to dissolve 

 any more, as is the case with many other liquids, as water 

 and common aether. 



In the fourth distillation I obtained a pure product, having 

 a specific gravity of -871 and boiling at 250°. It is curious 

 that though this is considerably the lighter of the two fluids, 

 its boiling-point is 60° higher than the other. 



I first attempted its analysis with oxide of copper, but 

 found it impossible to obtain constant results. Four ana- 

 lyses with chromate of lead gave, — 



