532 M. Wurtz on a new Series of Alcohols, 



The various carburetted hydrogens obtained in these experi- 

 ments were combined with bromine. From their respective bro- 

 mine compounds they may be liberated in a pure state by being 

 heated in a sealed tube in contact with metallic copper, water, 

 and iodide of potassium. If the copper be left out, the hydruret 

 of the carburetted hycb'ogcn is obtained ; thus from bromide of 

 olefiant gas, C* H'*Br*, the gas C"* H^ ; from bromide of propylene, 

 C«H«Br«, the gas C^ H^ are obtained. 



From these facts of the relation of carburetted hydrogen to 

 alcohol on the one hand, and of the relation of alcohol to other 

 organic bodies on the other, the complete synthesis of a vast 

 number of organic bodies may be considered as possible. " ^ 



Wurtz* describes a new series of alcohols. The compound 

 aethers, it is known, are formed by the union of one atom of an 

 acid with one atom of alcohol. Berthelot has found, on the other 

 hand, that glycerine unites with three atoms of an acid to form 

 the neutral fatty bodies. There is the same relation between 

 alcohol and glycerine as there is between a monobasic acid and 

 a tribasic acid. If spirit of wine is a monoatomic alcohol, gly- 

 cerine may be considered as a triatomic alcohol. From these 

 views Wurtz considered that there must be a series of inter- 

 mediary combinations, whose molecule would be diatomic, and 

 would correspond to the bibasic acids. By combining with two 

 equivalents of acid, they would form compounds intermediate 

 between the aethers and the neutral fatty bodies. Wurtz has suc- 

 ceeded in forming by way of synthesis such an alcohol, which 

 he names glycol. It is the type of a series, for the method by 

 which it is formed is susceptible of a general application. 



By acting on acetate of silver with iodide of sethylene, C* H"* P, 

 a body is obtained the formation of which is expressed by the 

 following equation : — 



C4Hn2 + 2(AgOC4H3 03) = 2AgI + C^2Hioo8. 



Iodide of Acetate of silver. New body. 



Kthylene. 



This new body is the acetate of the new alcohol glycol. When 

 pure, it is a perfectly colourless, neutral liquid, boiling at 185° C, 

 and distilling unchanged. It is heavier than water, in a large 

 quantity of which it is soluble. r.jj j^q 



The alcohol itself, glycol, is obtained by acting on acetate of 

 glycol with hydrate of potassa. It is in the pure state a colour- 

 less, slightly viscid liquid, having a distinctly saccharine taste. 

 It boils at about 195° C. Its vapour is inflammable ; it is 

 soluble in all proportions in water and alcohol. 



From the mode of its formation it is evident that the new 



* Comptes RenduSf July 25 and Sept. 1. 



