114 EEPOET 1891. 



hydrogen. An alloy appeared to form a little below a red 

 heat, and was then allowed to cool in hydrogen. The flask 

 was fitted to a reflux condenser, as in I., II., &c. ; 67*8 grams 

 of ethyl iodide were now added. The sodium and ethyl iodide 

 were thus in equivalent quantities, while the magnesium was in 

 excess, for the above equation. The flask was heated for two 

 hours on the water-bath to 90°-100° ; but no apparent action 

 took place. Ice. of ethyl acetate was then run in, and the water- 

 bath was kept at about 85° for sixty hours, when all the 

 ethyl iodide was used up. On now raising the temperature of 

 the bath the flask cracked, and water got in. A violent action 

 of course ensued ; but nothing that would indicate the presence 

 of an ethide was noticeable. 



The ethyl acetate was added because it was thought that it 

 might have a catalytic action, as in the formation of mercury 

 ethyl by Frankland and Duppa's method (Journ. Chem. Soc, 

 xvi., p. 415). 



Experiment VI. 



Study of the Action of Magnesium on Mercury EtliyL. 



This was suggested by Frankland and Duppa's method for 

 the preparation of zinc ethyl (Journ. Chem. Soc, xvii., p. 29). 

 The reaction should have been thus : — 



Mg-FHg(CoH5)2 = Hg-FMg(C,H5),. 



20-8 grams of mercury ethyl and 2 grams of magnesium 

 ribbon were heated in a sealed tube to 100°-110° for four hours 

 with no visible result. The temperature was then increased 

 to 130°-140° ; but at the end of another four hours the tube 

 exploded. The magnesium ribbon was somewhat attacked 

 where it had been in contact with the liquid mercury ethyl ; 

 but the great amount of gas formed seemed to show that this 

 method would not be successful. The mercury ethyl appeared 

 simply to decompose into free mercury and parafiines. 



Experiment VII. 



The action of magnesium on zinc ethyl was expected to be 

 as follows : — 



Mg+ Zn(C2H5)2 = Zn + Mg(C.2H5)2 ; 



or, perhaps, from Wanklyn's research, — 



Mg-f2Zn(C.H5). = Zn-f-Mg(C2H5)2 . Zn(CoH5)o. 



7'5 grams of zinc ethyl and 3 grams of magnesium-filings 

 were sealed up in a strong glass tube. On heating there was 

 no action till a temperature of 150° was reached, when a slight 

 blackening was noticed. The reaction was completed at 170°. 

 A greyish-black deposit was found in all parts of the tube, even 



