40 Alcohol and its Compounds. 



hyde burns with a clear flame. It consists of carbon, 82'3 ; 

 hydrogen, 17-6. 



When heated with perchloride of antimony (readily 

 formed by passing chlorine through fused butter of antimony) 

 olefiant gas was condensed in the form of the well-known 

 oily chloride, and the remaining gas possessed all the pro- 

 perties of carburetted hydrogen. 



The products of the distillation of alcohol, sulphuric acid 

 and peroxide of manganese, are carbonic acid, formic acid, 

 acetic acid, aldehyde, and traces of ether. 



With spongy platinum alcohol is converted into acetal, 

 aldehyde, acetic acid, and acetic ether. 



Resin of Aldehyde is formed by the action of potash upon 

 aldehyde. When the latter is introduced into a liquid 

 containing aldehyde, a brown colour is produced, and 

 speedily brown flocks fall, when a weak acid or water is 

 added. They consist of carbon, 73-340; oxygen, 18-900 ; 

 hydrogen, 7-759. 



Aldehydic Acid. — When oxide of silver is heated with a 

 solution of aldehyde a soluble salt is formed, which is not 

 an acetate, and is permanent when evaporated. This salt, 

 when mixed with barytes water, is decomposed, giving off 

 oxide of silver, and, when heated with the salt of barytes 

 formed, produces pure acetate of barytes, and no other 

 products: the oxide of silver being completely reduced. 

 A similar result is obtained by the action of ammonialde- 

 hyde upon oxide of silver. 



From Liebig's experiments it appears that the formula 

 of aldehydic acid is, C 4 H 3 O 2 , and, therefore, a true acetous 

 acid; the composition of acetic acid being C 4 H 3 O 3 . He 

 considers the lampic acid of Daniell to be identical with 

 aldehydic acid. The combinations may be explained in two 

 ways, according to Liebig : 



1st, Aldehyde may be considered as alcohol deprived of 

 an atom of hydrogen, and alcohol as a hydrate of ether; 

 or, 2nd, Aldehyde may be a deutoxide of binolefiant gas. 

 The formulae will, therefore, be, 



1st, Unknown compound of carbon 



and hydrogen C 4 H 3 



Aldehyde C 4 H 3 O + HO 



Aldehydic acid C 4 H 3 O 2 + HO 



Hydrous acetic acid . . . . C 4 H 3 O 3 + HO 



