324 



coal-distillation gases by means of hot strong sulphuric' acid (of 

 96 7o)> ^'1*^' '0 obtain etlivlalcohol after dilution and distillation 

 of the sulphuric acid '). 



With regard to the action of sulphuric acid on propylene, a process 

 of CARi,KTON-P]r,i,is ') has become known. In this process the waste 

 gases formed in the preparation of light hydrocarbons from heavy 

 petroleum-distillates (cracking-process of Buhton) are passed throngli 

 snlphui-ic acid of 87 '/o ; tl'e propylene present in these is said 

 to be transformed into isopi'opylsulplmric acid. After ilihition and 

 distillation of the sulphuric acid isopropylalcohol is obtained. 



Systematic researches on the behaviour of ethylene and propylene 

 towards acids of different concentrations have not been published. 



On the other hand there are many instances known, in which 

 the addition of water to a double bond takes place under the 

 inlluence of diluted acids. Gerauiol absorbs two molecules of 

 water when treated with 5 "/o sulphuric acid. Butlerow ') found 

 that isobntylene and heptylene were very slowly hydrated to the 

 corresponding alcohols by means of diluted sulphuric acid and 

 nitric acid at the ordinary temperature. 



It seemed interesting to us to e.xamine how ethylene and propy- 

 • leue would behave towards acids of different concentrations. If 

 elhylsulphuric acid can he obtained through the action of ethylene 

 on diluted sulphuric acid at high temperature, there would be a 

 possil)ility that afterwards the elhylsulphuric acid should be hydro- 

 lized : 



(1) C,H, + H,SO, — C,H.HSO, 



(2) C,H.HSO, + H,0-*C,H,OH + H,0 



If the two reactions proceeded rapidly enough, the experiment 

 might be arranged so that the alcohol formed is immediately 

 distilled oft" from the reaction liquid. 



Such a course of the reaction would then be pi'actically an 

 addition of water to ethylene, in which the question whether we 

 have to do here with a direct addition or which an intermediary 



') I<'ritzsche. Chemische Industrie 20, 266 (1897) and 21, 27 (18981; Tau and 

 Bertelsmann, Gliick Auf 57, 189 (1921); Bury enOr.LAMDER: ,, Byproduct devel- 

 opment in the Iron and Steel Industry"; Paper read before the Cleveland histitution 

 of Engineers, 15 December 1919; cf. Tidman, Journ. See. Ghem Ind. 40, 86 T 

 (1921); DE LoisY. Compt. Rend. Ac. d. Sc. Paris 170, 50 (1920); Damiens, de 

 LoiSY en Piette, Eng. Pat. 180988 (1922). 



S) Cr. Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering. Vol. 23, 1230 (1920). 



^) Lieb. Ann. 180, 245 (1876). 



