[ 86] 
XVI. Observations upon the two Preparations of Acetic 
Ether. By M. Henry, Professor of Pharmacy in the 
Pharmaceutical School of Paris*.° 
Havine been directed by the society to ascertain the dif+ 
ference which exists between acetic ethers prepared imme+ 
diately, or by the intermedium of the sulphuric acid, I have 
now to EpauDiCate the experiments made with that 
view. 
M. Gehlen, in a letter addressed to M. Guyton, lately 
published i in the Annales de Chimie f, insists that, accord- 
ing to the assertion of Scheele, it is proved that the acetic 
nets without the intervention of a mineral acid, is not ¢a- 
pable of forming ether. 
The author aes not tell us what acetic acid he employed ; 
he merely asserts the fact, recommends very pure acetic 
acid to be used, and adds, that ‘¢ a minimum of sulphu- 
rous acid is sufficient to form ether.” 
I know that in a great part of Ger many they extract the 
acetic acid from acetate of soda by the intervention of sul- 
phuric acid: in place of that pointed out by Pelletier, 
acetate of copper is made use of. It was the latter ] em- 
ployed, it did not contain an atom of mineral acid. 
But, without entering upon the discussion of a point long 
ago decided by constant facts, 1 return to the present object 
of my inquiries. 
We are indebted to Pelletier for the process of obtaining 
acetic ether, which consists in making a mixture of equal 
parts of rectified alcohol and acetic soins in re-cohobating 
ihree times the produce of the distillation upon the residue, 
and rectifying the ether over potash. 
I followed this process, with this difference, that I re- 
cohobated the produce of the distillation six times. — 
From a mixture of 500 grammes of rectified alcohol, at 
36 degrees, and an equal quantity of acetic acid at 11 de- 
grees, I obtained 495 grammes of ether at 24 degrees, im- 
* From Annales de Chimie, tome lviii. p. 199. 
+ See the preceding article, et 
miscible 
