PREFACE. 



It is the purpose of this brief contribution to point out the existing 

 literature upon acetoacetic ester, rather than to make an addition to 

 this literature. The outlines of memoirs are given, not to enable the 

 reader to do without the originals, but to help him to find just the 

 ones he maj^ require. To this end it has been undertaken to furnish a 

 description, without the detail of a condensation, of so much literary 

 material as has been cited. The subject is one so far interwoven with 

 research upon organic oxygen derivatives in general that its boundaries 

 have been often drawn at a venture. In questions upon the subject- 

 matter Mr. Seymour has had the benefit of consultation with Professor 

 Paul C. Freer, of this University, who has carried on investigations of 

 acetoacetic ester for some years. For the plan of the bibliography, 

 whatever defects the plan may have, the undersigned acknowledges 

 himself responsible. In the execution of the task Mr. Seymour has 

 devoted studious care, with clear critical inquiry on his own part, from 

 first to last. And his work is offered with confidence by the under- 

 signed, to the Committee on Indexing Chemical I^iterature, for issue 

 under the beneficent provisions of The Smithsonian Institution, 

 to whose time-saving publications chemists are so greatly indebted. 



Albert B. Prescott. 



University of Michigan, 

 August, 1892. 



