,y,,. », j,i «ffi^yi-)tr?r owt <)/iT -)*«^»'f »» '< dUfihisy w^n Sift 9? mI/t 

 XiilV. On the Action of Nitric Acid on Alcohol at common Tem- 

 peratures. By Dr. H. Debus*. 



NITROUS aether is decomposed, according to Berzelius, by 

 contact with water, lime-water, or a solution of sulphate 

 of iron, into saccharic or malic acid, nitric oxide, and other sub- 

 stances. Although the observation on which this assertion is 

 founded was made fifty years ago, no contradiction of it seems 

 to have become public, as it is still repeated in some of the latest 

 handbooks on organic chemistry. The formation of saccharic 

 acid from the radical sethyle appeared to me interesting enough 

 to deserve a more minute examination, in order to determine the 

 conditions on which it depends. I repeated carefully the expe- 

 riments of Berzelius with pure hyponitrite of oxide of sethyle, 

 water, and lime-water. In employing the latter, large quantities 

 of nitrite of lime and traces of formiate of lime were produced. 

 Pure water caused a great evolution of nitric oxide. After the 

 decomposition was completed, the water contained nitric acid 

 and very small quantities of an organic acid, which gave the 

 reactions of formic acid. Similar results were obtained with sul- 

 phate of iron and nitrous aether. In no case was malic or sac- 

 charic, or any other organic acid except formic or oxalic acid, 

 produced. 



These facts are fully explained if it is assumed that nitrous 

 aether is decomposed into alcohol and nitrous acid ; the latter 

 would form, according to circumstances, either nitrite of lime, 

 or be converted into nitric oxide and nitric acid. A portion of the 

 alcohol is oxidized to formic and oxalic acids. 



The acid mother-liquor from which, according to Black's 

 method, the hyponitrite of oxide of sethyle separates, is said 

 to contain large quantities of saccharic acid. The examination 

 of this liquid did not confirm this assertion, but led to other not 

 less interesting results. 



In order to obtain this liquid the following method was em- 

 ployed : — A narrow and tall bottle, of about 700 cubic centims. 

 capacity, was charged with 320 grms. alcohol of 0'863 sp. gr. at 

 60° F., and put in a place where it could remain undisturbed during 

 the period the experiment was going on. By means of a tube which 

 had been drawn out to a narrow point at one end, 100 grms. of 

 water were permitted to collect slowly under the alcohol, and 200 

 grms. of red fuming nitric acid under the water, in such a way 

 that alcohol, water, and acid formed three distinct layers. The 

 mouth of the bottle was then provided with a perforated cork, 

 holding a bent glass tube, the other end of which dipped into a 



* Communicated bv the Author. 

 Phil Mag, S. 4. Vol. 12. No. 80. Nov. 1856. 2 B 



