THE ALUMNI JOURNAL, 



237 



chloride. The two isomeric sulphates 

 have also been prepared. Since the 

 change of the antioxime into its isomeride 

 is also preceded by the formation of a 

 derivative of the former, which then 

 passes into the more stable svuderivative, 

 a stereo-chemical explanation of the iso- 

 merism is rendered probable. 



By the action of methyl bromide on 

 bensantialdoxime the hydro-bromide of 

 its " nitrogen " methyl ether is produced 

 (m. p. 69 ). This ether yields the same 

 products of hydrolysis and reduction as 

 the " nitrogen " methyl ether obtained 

 from bensynaldoxime. It differs from 

 the latter in its lower melting point and 

 in the extreme readiness with which it is 

 hydrolysed. The hydrobromide is stable, 

 but the ether itself rapidly passes on 

 standing into the isomeric syn-nitrogen 

 ether. Structural formulae are insuffi- 

 cient to explain the existence of the four 

 isomeric ethers (two " oxygen " and two 

 "nitrogen "), which are known. Prob- 

 ably, therefore, the aldoximes themselves 

 are stereo-isomeric ; but both act tauto- 

 merically, and the synaldoxime reacts 

 more readily in the sense of the isoximido 

 formula than the antialdoxime does. 



Treated with phosphorous penta- 

 chloride both oximes yield a little form- 

 anilide, but chiefly benzonitrile. Phos- 

 phorous trichloride converts benzantial- 

 doxime into an extremely unstable chlo- 

 rine derivative; with benzsynaldoxime it 

 yields benzonitrile and hydrogen chlo- 

 ride instantaneously. 



Almost all the stereochemical hypo- 

 theses equally well explain the isomerism 

 of oximido-compounds of triad nitrogen ; 

 but in the case of derivatives with pentad 

 nitrogen, Pickering's theory is more in 

 accordance with facts than any other. — 

 Proc. of the Client. So. — Br. Col. Dr. 



Synthetic Production of Alcohol. — The pos- 

 sibility of preparing acetylene on a manufactur- 

 ing scale from calcium carbide has given ad- 



ditional importance to the production of alcohol 

 from acetylene. Kruger (Phar. Cent.) has 

 tested several of the methods which have been 

 proposed w:th that object, and found that most 

 of them gave negative results. Caro has since 

 confirmed his observations, and has, at the 

 same time, devised a method of producing alco- 

 hol from acetylene, which may perhape eventu- 

 ally lead to the desired results. By passing 

 acetylene through concentrated hydriodic acid 

 he obtained the compound CH 3 CHI 2 to the ex- 

 tent of from 55 to 58 per cent. By boiling this 

 product with concentrated potash solution it is 

 partly converted into acetylene and partly into 

 alcohol and potassium acetate, according to the 

 following equations: 



CH S CHI, 



2KOH J 



CH 3 CHI.,\ 

 2KOH j 



CH 3 CH<°g = 



2CH.COH \ 

 KOH j 



f 2KI + 2H 2 

 \CH = CH 



f 2KI ^-OH 

 \CH 3 CH < -OH 



CH 8 COH + H 2 



J CHjCOOK 

 \CH 3 CH,OH 



By saponifying the di iodide with moist ar- 

 gentic oxide the reproduction of acetylene is 

 very small, and on boiling with caustic potash 

 the alcohol and potassium acetate formed 

 amount together to nearly 90 per cent. 



The di-iodide is also saponified when heated 

 with water to 140 of 150 C, a mixture of 

 aldehyde, ethyl iodide, hydriodic acid, and un- 

 altered di-iodide being formed. The formation 

 of aldehyde takes place according to the equa- 

 tion 



CH 3 CHI,\ 

 H 2 j 



By reduction of the aldehyde, alcohol would 

 be obtained. In Caro's experiments 40 per 

 cent, of aldehyde was obtained, and if the hy- 

 driodic acid formed were continuously removed 

 the yield of aldehyde would probably be in- 

 creased, as the reproduction of di-iodide accor- 

 ing to the following equation would then be 

 prevented: 



f 2HI 

 \CH 3 CHO 



CH 3 CHI., ) 

 2HI J 



fCH 3 CHL 

 I H,0 



On a small scale that has been effected by 

 heating the di-iodide with an equivalant quan- 

 tity of zinc oxide, twice as much zinc dust and 

 water. After this mixture had been heated to 

 130 or 150 C. there was not much pressure in 

 the tube, and after twice distilling the contents 

 alcohol was obtained almost pure. — Pharm. 

 Jour. 



