Of the Action of Vegetable Acids oil Alcohol. 437 



cessary to employ other proportions of alcohol and sul- 

 phuric acid, which wiil be presently pointed out. 



Experiment 111. — When less than 5 gr.uDnies of con- 

 ceniraled sulphuric acid is used to convert ■?() of acetic acid 

 into ether, the experiment does not perfectly succeed — 

 and only partially when sulphuric acid not concentrated 

 is employed ; but it fails entirely when the acid is much 

 diluted with water. 



Experiment IV. — When either the concentrated nitric 

 or muriatic acid is employed to convert acetic acid into ace- 

 tic ether, more of either must be used than of the sulphu- 

 ric, and their quantity must be increased according lo the 

 water contained. 



Experi?nent V. — The phosphorous acid reduced to a sy- 

 rupy consistence readily facilitates the formation of acetic 

 ether; but it is necessary that the quantity of this acid 

 should be at least equal to two-thirds of the acetic acid, 

 that the whole of the latter may disappear at the first di- 

 stillation. 



Experiment VI. — Both the arsenic and oxalic a^cid con- 

 tribute but in a slight degree to the formation of the acetic 

 ether. 



Experiment VII. — The tartaric acid is of no use what- 

 ever in this process. 



Experiment VIII. — The sulphurous acid gas does not 

 favour the formation, though it is very soluble in alcohol, 

 and produces much heat during its solution, 

 f. Experiment IX. — Lastly, the same takes place with the 

 phosphoric acid; but it is because this acid is insoluble or 

 only slightly soluble in alcohol. 



It is evident, when we examine the result of these experi- 

 ments, that all the acids which conceiiMale akoliol favour 

 the formation of acetic ether, and ib.ey contribute to it pro- 

 porti'inably to the power each has of concentralin<>' alcohol. 

 On this account, the sulphuric acid has the greatest inilu- 

 cnce, and the tartaric scarcely any; but when the sulphuric 

 acid is much diluted with water, it has the same eficcl as 

 the tartaric. It is necessary therefore to suppose that, 

 ufien the alcohol is thus condensed bv an acid, the acetic 

 acid seizes on it, and by a peculiar combinatiiin forms ace- 

 tic ether. Now one cannot refuse to admit an analogous 

 action on the part of the slr')ng and concentrated acids, 

 euher to generate the acetic ether, or to unite the other ve^ 

 geiable acids with alcohol: conseciuently, in the v.holc 

 series of combinations we have obNcrved, which could not 

 have taken place without the interferenec of a strong ininc- 

 K c 3 ral 



