96 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Catalysts 



The chief catalysts used were magnetite, iron oxide, copper 

 oxide, silver oxide, thorium oxide, platinum, cobalt oxide, vanadium 

 oxide, uranium oxide and borosilicate glass. These catalysts were 

 usually prepared by the ignition of the nitrates and were mixed with 

 asbestos, pumice, or activated charcoal as carriers. 



Examination of the Products of the Reaction 



The gases issuing from the catalyst chamber were passed through 

 a series of wash bottles containing water, which took out any formalde- 

 hyde or methyl alcohol formed by the reaction. Tests proved that 

 these products were retained by the water even though the gases 

 were passing at a rapid speed. 



After the removal of the soluble products the gases were 

 collected and always analysed for carbon dioxide and oxygen and 

 sometimes for methane and ethane. 



The wash waters were tested qualitatively for formaldehyde 

 with Schiffs reagent, and by the resorcine test.-* The presence of 

 methyl alcohol was detected by observing any increased quantity of 

 formaldehyde formed when the solution was oxidized by a hot copper 

 wire spiral. The solutions were examined quantitatively by first 

 estimating the formaldehyde colorimetrically in one portion and in 

 another by oxidizing the methyl alcohol with alkaline permanganate, 

 destroying excess of permanganate with oxalic acid and then deter- 

 mining the total formaldehyde according to Elvove's method.^ By 

 difference the methyl alcohol was obtained. Where these substances 

 were present in larger quantity the formaldehyde was estimated by 

 Lockemann and Cronen's method^ which consists in titrating the 

 acid set free when formaldehyde is added to a measured volume of a 

 normal solution of hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The amount of 

 alkaline permanganate required for oxidation of both formaldehyde 

 and methyl alcohol was found and the methyl alcohol calculated from 

 the known amount of aldehyde present. 



Of the many methods in the literature, most of which were 

 tested in the course of the work, these gave the most reliable and 

 rapid results. 



■»Muliken, Identification of Pure Organic Compounds, Vol. 1, p. 24. 



sElvove, Jour. Ind. Eng. Chem. 9, 295, 1917. 



«Lockemann and Cronen, Zeit. Anal. Chem. 54, 11-26, 1915. 



