238 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 



SUCCINIC ACID AND ITS COMBINATIONS. 



M. F. Darcet read to the Academy of Sciences an Essay on the 

 above subjects. 



MM. Liebig and Wohler had ascertained by analysis that suc- 

 cinic acid contained only half an atom of water, and that this 

 proportion appeared indispensable. This difference from organic 

 acids, such as lactic acid, which are similar in other respects, was de- 

 serving of being carefully verified; and for this purpose M. Darcet 

 undertook the requisite experiments. He observes that common 

 succinic acid loses a definite quantity of water by sublimation ; but 

 this quantity becomes irregular when it has been rapidly distilled 

 once or twice, and it loses more, according to the number of di- 

 stillations to which it is subjected, so that it may be obtained in an 

 anhydrous state. 



The distillation carried on with a substance having great affinity 

 for water, such as phosphoric acid, is much more rapidly effected 

 and less of it is decomposed. 



Succinic acid is soluble in water, and much more so in hot than 

 in cold water j and thus its solutions readily crystallize on cool- 

 ing : it is soluble in alcohol, but scarcely so in aether. When it is 

 extremely pure, it fuses at 356° Fahrenheit ; at about 284° it loses 

 half an atom of water, and furnishes an acid that contains only 

 half an atom, which crystallizes in fine needles : its boiling point 

 is 4:55°. Its composition is, when anhydrous, 



Carbon 41-15 or O 306 



Hydrogen 5*49 H 6 37*5 



Oxygen 5336 O 400 



100- 743-5 



Succinate of silver, obtained by double decomposition, as by pour- 

 ing neutral nitrate of silver into neutral succinate of ammonia, 

 both heated to 140° Fahrenheit, was found to be composed of 



Succinic acid 30-39 



Oxide of silver 69-61 



100- 

 It is consequently composed of an atom of anhydrous succinic 

 acid, and an atom of oxide of silver: its atomic weight is = 2082-6. 

 When submitted for a long time to a heat of from 234° to 252° 

 Fahrenheit, common succinic acid undergoes a remarkable change; 

 there are gradually formed in the neck of the retort perfectly white 

 and fine slender needles, whilst half an atom of water is lost by theacid. 

 On distilling together 16 parts of succinic acid, 20 parts of alcohol, 

 and 5 of concentrated muriatic acid, and cohobating the liquor 

 four or five times, there is obtained in the retort a yellowish liquid 

 of an oleaginous consistence, composed of alcohol, water, succinic 

 acid, muriatic acid, and succinic aether: on the addition of water, 

 small drops of an oily liquid are precipitated; theyareof a dark-brown 

 colour, and soon unite at the bottom of the vessel. This is impure 

 succinic aether: in order to render it perfectly pure, it is sufficient 

 to wash it several times with cold water, and to heat it, until its 



