48 



PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



It also contains methyl formiate, which has not hitherto been recog- 

 nized as a constituent of wood spirit.* 



Three portions were selected for examination. The first portion 

 (a) was collected at the beginning of the distillation, the second [b) 

 after several hundred gallons had distilled, and the third (c) when the 

 distillation of methyl alcohol was well advanced. Each portion was 

 bright yellow in color, and from (a) and (b) a sharp penetrating odor 

 Avas emitted. Since various attempts to remove the small percentage 

 of water by desiccation were unsuccessful, the product was fractional 

 as it was received. Anhydrous cujiric sulphate absorbed only a small 

 fraction of the water, even after standing several weeks, and fused 

 potassic cai-bonate produced a decomposition, as shown by the color 

 changing to a dark brown, with the formation of a yellow precipitate 

 on standing. In the fractional distillation very satisfactory results 

 were obtained, botli in the separation of the different fractions and in 

 economy of time, by the use of Hempel'sf device for condensation. 



The following table contains the results of the tenth fraction of each 

 portion expressed in percentages. To insure a more complete con- 



densation of the volatile products in (a), after passing through a Lie- 

 big's condenser, the distillate was cooled by a freezing mixture. Con- 

 siderable gas escaped condensation at the beginning of the distillation, 

 but it was found to consist chiefly of carbonic dioxide. 



* Kramer and Grodzky succeeded in isolating formic acid in small quantity 

 from tlie oil obtained by adding sulphuric acid to the mother liquor of Holzessig, 

 after removing the greater part of the acetic acid as sodic acetate. (Berichte 

 deutsch. chem. Gesellsch., 1878, 1356.) 



t Zeitschrift fur Anal. Chem., xx. 502. 



