( 275 ) 



bable, lic nou, to jiidge IVoiii the alunc' (iiioüilioii, delinitely adopts 

 the oxide-i'ing' M. 



The residts of niy researclies, I may (h-aw ii[> in the folio win*;' 

 rule : 



In the Iransfoi-niation of the 1.2 glycols into ahlehydes, a i-cal 

 intramolecular atomic rearrangement takes [)lace, which camiot be 

 explained by any normally-proceeding intermediate reaction; it has 

 not, however, been decided as yet whether this atomic migration 

 takes place with the 1.2 glycols themselves or whether the oxides 

 are formed tirst and then undergo an intramolecular rearrangement. 



I am now^ making experiments in that direction with Dr. Mf-kruikc;. 



Chemistry. — Prof. x\. P. N. FRA.NciinioNT presents to the Librai-y 

 of the Academy a dissertation from Dr. J. Moll van ('uahantk, 

 entitled : ^' Sal [tlio-lsobutyrlc acid and .some of its drrirddres" 

 and oflers the following explanation. 



(Communicaled in Ihe meeting of Sepleniber !24, 1UU4). 



Dr. Moll van Oharante has commenced at my instigation to tho- 

 roughly investigate sidpho-isobutyric acid. He prepared it according to 

 the process which I had published many years ago for the prei)aralio]i 

 of those aliphatic sulphocarboxylic acids in which the snlplionic acid 

 group is attached to the same carbon atom as the carl)oxyl group (namely 

 from the acid anhydrides with sulphuric acid). These acids are not 

 only important from the fact that they are bil)asic aci<ls, of Avhich our 

 knowledge leaves generally nuich to be desired, but also i)ecause 

 the two acid functioiLs are of tliemselves, and iR)t merely on account 

 of their position, of ditferent strength, and are situated together more 

 closely than in the case of the aromatic acids, and caji therefore, 

 exert a greater intluence on each other. The difticnlties experienced 

 in the case of sulphoacetic acid, sulphopropionic acid etc. caused by 

 the mobility of the hydrogen atoms which are placed at the same 

 carbon atom could not present themselves here, because the atom to 

 which the two acid fuiu'tiojis are linked, (h)es not caiM-y hyib'ogen. 



The said method of preparing, which had never been fully eluci- 

 dated, in which two nu)ls. of acid anhydride react with one mol. 

 of sulphuric acid to yield oiw mol. of sul|)h()nic acid is thus explained 

 by Dr. Moli- van Cilvrantk : a (Haeylsulphiii-ic acid is formed which 



^) Al least if llic (]ii»jlaliun is meant U)V all the l.l! glyeuls. 



