OP ARTS AND SCIENCES. 47 



lY. 



CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CHEMICAL LABORATORY OF HAR- 

 VARD COLLEGE. 



ON THE PRODUCTS OF THE DRY DISTILLATION OF 

 WOOD AT LOW TEMPERATURES. 



By Charles F. Mabery. 



Presented January 10th, 1883. 



In the manufacture of acetic acid by the dry distillation of wood at 

 low temperatures, as it is conducted by Dr. E. R. Squibb, of Brooklyn, 

 N. Y., an oil heavier than water collects during the distillation in con- 

 siderable quantities. Upon examination, Professor H. B. Hill* found 

 that this oil contained a large percentage of furfurol, and that by the 

 action of alkalies upon it a small quantity of pyrosanthin was formed. 

 Further information concerning the more volatile products of the dis- 

 tillation therefore seemed desirable ; and since different portions of the 

 crude methyl alcohol were kindly jilaced at my disposal by Dr. Squibb, 

 I undertook an examination of its constituents. 



The composition of crude wood spirit has frequently been made the 

 subject of investigation within a few years. Beside methyl alcohol 

 and methyl acetate, which constitute the greater part of the product in 

 the ordinary process of distillation, acetic aldehyde, acetic acid, aceton, 

 acetal, dimethylacetal, methylethylketone, and allyl alcohol have been 

 found in smaller quantities. Traces of the higher ketones have been 

 detected in the less volatile portions, and in the high boiling oils small 

 quantities of the aromatic hydrocarbons toluol, xylol, and curaol. 



A study of the product under consideration shows that it has essen- 

 tially the same composition. Its distinctive characteristic consists in 

 different quantitative proportions of several constituents, probably due 

 to the low temperature at which the first distillation was conducted. 



* These Proceedings, Vol. XVI. p. 192. 



