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LVI. On the Decomposition of Valerianic Acid by the Vol- 

 taic Current. By H. KolbEj Ph.D.* 



THE very remarkable changes which a series of organic 

 compounds undergoes by means of the voltaic current, 

 have induced me to make that mode of decomposition the 

 subject of a thorough investigation. As however the nume- 

 rous difficulties which present themselves in researches of 

 this nature, and the immense extent of the field which opens 

 before us, do not admit of the results being communicated 

 in a complete and connected form, I beg to lay before the 

 Chemical Society a short preliminary notice of the changes 

 which valerianic acid undergoes when exposed to the oxidizing 

 action of the voltaic current, reserving a more complete de- 

 scription of the products obtained till the investigation shall 

 have been brought to a close. 



When the voltaic current, excited by six pairs of Bunsen's 

 carbo-zinc battery, is permitted to act on a concentrated neu- 

 tral solution of valerianate of potash in the cold, two plates 

 of platinum forming the electrodes, a brisk evolution of gas 

 takes place simultaneously from both ; the gases evolved 

 consist of hydrogen, carbonic acid and a new carbo-hydrogen, 

 but contain no traces of oxygen gas as long as the solution 

 of valerianate of potash does not become too much exhausted. 

 At the same time a light oily liquid separates at the surface, 

 having an agreeable Eethereal odour, and the alkaline solution 

 ultimately consists chiefly of carbonate and bicarbonate of 

 potash, the latter of which generally separates during the 

 operation in a crystalline form. 



The neutral ethereal oil is a mixture of two compounds ; 

 the one containing oxygen, the other perfectly free from it. 

 By the action of an alcoholic solution of potash the former is 

 decomposed, and the latter can then, by means of water, be 

 separated unchanged. In the pure state it exists in the form 

 of a light colourless sethereal oil, possessing an agreeable 

 aromatic smell. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in al- 

 cohol and aether; it boils at 108° C. without decomposition, 

 and has the composition Cg Hg. Oxygen and iodine are with- 

 out action upon it, but chlorine, bromine, and fuming nitric 

 acid form with it products of substitution. 



The oil containing oxygen, which in the first instance was 

 found mixed with this substance, I have not yet been able to 

 obtain in a pure state ; but several circumstances render it 

 more than probable that it is formed by the union of vale- 

 rianic acid with the oxide of the above carbo-hydrogen. An 



• Communicated by the Chemical Society} having been read April 19, 

 1847. 



