1889.] on an attempt to apply to Chemistry, &c. 519 



molecule of free carbon — which is in reality very complex, that is to 

 say strongly polyatomic, as I have long since been proving by various 

 means — could contain only C- like the molecules 0'-, H-, N-, and so on. 



By methylation we should evidently obtain from marsh gas, 

 ethane, CE.^6W = C-H^. 



By methylenation, that is by substituting group CH- for H^, 

 methane forms ethylene, CH-CH- = C-H-^. 



By acetylenation, that is by substituting three atoms of hydrogen, 

 H^, in methane, by the remnant CH, we get acetylene CHCH = C-H^. 



If we have applied the principles of Newton correctly, there should 

 not be any other hydrocarbons containing two atoms of carbon in the 

 molecule. All these combinations have long been known, and in 

 each of them we can not only produce those substitutions of which 

 an example has been given in the case of methane, but also all the 

 phases of other substitutions, as we shall find from a few more 

 instances, by the aid of which I trust that I shall be able to show the 

 great complexity of those derivatives which, on the principle of sub- 

 stitution, can be obtained from each hydrocarbon. Let us content 

 ourselves with the case of ethane, CH^CH^, and the substitution of 

 the hydrogen by hydroxyl. The following are the possible changes. 



1. CH^CH-(OH) : this is nothing more than spirit of wine, or 

 ethyl alcohol, Q'-W{OK) or C-H^O. 



2. CH'^(0H)CH2(0H) : this is the glycol of Wurtz, which has 

 shed so much light on the history of alcohol. Its isomer may be 

 CH3CH(0H)-, but as we have seen in the case of CH(OH)-, it 

 decomposes giving off water, and forming aldehyde, CH^CHO, a body 

 capable of yielding alcohol by uniting with hydrogen and of yielding 

 acetic acid by uniting with oxygen. 



If glycol CH'(OH)CH'(OH) loses its water, it may be seen at 

 once that it w^ill not now yield aldehyde, CH'^CHO, but its isomer, 



^ , the oxide of ethylene. I have here indicated in a special 



manner the oxygen which has taken the place of two atoms of the 

 hydrogen of ethane taken from different atoms of the carbon. 



3. CH3C(OH)3 decomposed as CH(0H)3, forming water and acetic 

 acid OB[^CO(OH). It is evident that this acid is nothing else than 

 formic acid, CHO(OB[), with its hydrogen replaced by methyl. 

 Without examining further the vast number of possible derivatives, 

 I will direct your attention to the circumstance that in dissolving 

 acetic acid in water we obtain the maximum contraction and the 

 greatest viscosity when to the molecule CH"C0(OH) is added a 

 molecule of water, which is the proj^ortion which would form the 

 hydrate CH^C(OH)^. It is probable that the doubling of the mole- 

 cule of acetic acid at temperatures approaching its boiling point has 

 some connection with this power of uniting with one molecule of 

 water. 



4. CH2(OH)C(OH)3 is evidently alcoholic acid, and indeed this 

 compound, after losing water, answers to glycolic acid, CH"^(OII)CO 



