ACETO ACETIC ESTER. 3 



result was a small amount of Ce Hg (C2 H5 )0;^ and a larger amount of 

 Ce Hg ( C2 H5 )2 O3. The latter is colorless, insoluble in water, miscible 

 with alcohol and ether, boils at i37.5°-i39° and has a specific gravity 

 of .S171 at 22° 



Ethylic ethacetone carbonate Ce H, ( C2 H5 ) O3 is colorless, almost 

 insoluble in water, miscible with alcohol and ether, boils at 195° and 

 distils unchanged, it has a specific gravity of .9834 at 16° When 

 saponified with a water solution of potassium hydroxid, ethyl acetone, 

 CH3 CO C ( C2 H5 ) H2, is produced which boils at 101° and has a 

 specific gravity of .8046 at 22° Both of these acetones have the smell 

 and the taste of camphor. The di-methylderivative of acetoacetic ester 

 (as it is now known ) was prepared, the reactions given were 2 CH3 CO2 

 C2 H, + 2 Na= CH3 CO C Na2 CO2 C2 Hs + C2 H5 OH4-H2 and CH3 

 CO CNa^ CO2 C2 H5 +2CH3 I = CH3 CO C ( CH3 ), CO2 C2 H5 -f 2 Na 

 I. Some of the mono methyl derivative was also formed but was decom- 

 posed b}^ a w^ater solution of potassium hydroxid. Methyl acetone, CH3 

 CO C H2 ( CH3 ) , boils at 81° and has a specific gravity of .8125 at 13° 

 Dimethyl acetone, CH3 CO C H ( CH. jj, boils at 93° and has a specific 

 gravity of .8099 at 13° 



Ethylic dimethyl acetone carbonate, CH3 CO C ( CH3 )2 CO2 C2 H5, 

 boils at 184° and has a specific gravity of .9913 at 16° 



BRANDES, R., 1866. 



Arch, der Pharm. [2] 129, 193-212 ; Jsb. Chem. 1866, 305; Bull. Soc. 



chim. 7, 501. 

 Acetic Acid. 



Meth3-len-dimethylen carboxylic acid, C5 Hs O3 (acetoacetic methyl 

 ester), is produced from acetic methyl ester and sodium, sodmethoxid 

 and hydrogen being formed in the reaction. It is supposed to be an acid, 

 and to be acetic acid in which two h}'drogen atoms of the methyl group 

 are replaced, one by methyl and the other by acetyl. It is colorless, 

 boils at 169° 170°, and has a specific gravit}' of 1.037 ^.t 9° Blue lit- 

 mus is scarcely changed by it until water is added. Alkalis and acids 

 decompo.se it into acetone, carbon dioxid and methyl alcohol. The 

 copper salt was made and described. Methylen-dimethylen carboxylic 

 acid ethylen (ethyl-acetoacetic methyl ester), prepared from the former 

 by treating with .sodium and then with ethyl iodid, is colorless, boils at 

 189.7° and has a specific gravity of .995 at 14° It is isomeric with 

 Geuther's ethyl-dimethylen carboxylic acid methjden (methyl aceto 

 acetic ester). By using methyl iodid methylen-dimethylen carbox3Tic 

 acid methylen (methyl acetoacetic methyl ester), was produced, it boils 



