CHEMISTRY — GOMBERG, JONES. 151 



oxygen compounds was made. It was established that it combines 

 with nearly all esters, ethers, and ketones, forming definite com- 

 pounds of uniform composition. The reactivity of triphenylmethyl 

 was found to be so great that the latter entered into combination 

 also with nitriles, with unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, with 

 aromatic hydrocarbons, with chloroform, carbon disulphide, and 

 even with some saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons. The results of 

 the above investigation were published in three papers in the Ber. 

 d. deut. chem. Ges., vol. 37 and 38. 



Jones, Harry G, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. 

 Grant No. 267. Investigations on hydrates in concentrated aque- 

 ous solutions. (For previous reports see Year Book No. 2, p. 

 xxx, and Year Book No. 3, p. 106.) $1,000. 



The work during the past year on the hydrates formed by salts, 

 acids, and bases, when dissolved in water, has had to do more 

 especially with the determination of the composition of the hydrates. 

 Although certain assumptions are necessary in calculating from 

 experimental data the composition of these hydrates, yet it is very 

 probable that the approximate composition has been settled in a 

 large number of cases. The general relation has been established, 

 that the total amount of water held in combination by the dissolved 

 substance increases with the concentration of the solution. There are 

 very few exceptions to this relation. The number of molecules of 

 water combined with one molecule of the dissolved substance generally 

 increases with the dilution, from the most concentrated to the most 

 dilute solution investigated. In the case of certain acids, however, 

 the number of molecules of water in combination with one molecule 

 of the acid passes through a maximum. A suggestion to account 

 for this apparent discrepancy, which is in accord with the law of 

 mass action, has been proposed. Most of the organic compounds 

 show little or no power to combine with water. Glycerol and cane 

 sugar, however, are exceptions. 



The conclusion has been reached that both molecules and ions 

 combine with water. The fact that certain non-electrolytes show 

 marked 'hydration proves that molecules can combine with water, 

 since in such solutions there are no ions. Electrolytes generally 

 show the greatest hydration in the most dilute solutions, which 

 proves that ions can combine with water; since in such solutions 

 there are practically no molecules, but only ions present. 



The present theory of hydrates differs fundamentally from the 

 older theory of Mendeleeff . According to the latter, certain dissolved 



