388 Professor Bunsen on the Radical 



nature of this decomposition, pure chloride of cacodyl was 

 digested with zinc in a distillation tube, until the whole solu- 

 tion was converted into a white mass of salt; the heat was 

 then increased by means of an oil-bath to 200° C. ; a perfectly 

 clear fluid distilled over. When at this temperature nothing 

 further passed over, the heat was increased to 220° C. and 

 then to 260° C, It appeared to me dangerous to attempt 

 any further decomposition by increasing the temperature; the 

 attempt was therefore given up at this point. 



After the appai'atus was cool and the receiver taken off, 

 there was no perceptible smell of any gaseous product. The 

 substance which distilled over was again sucked up into a fresh 

 distillation tube containing zinc, and by means of a continued 

 digestion the last traces of chlorine were separated. The di- 

 stillation was effected by means of an oil-bath. When at the 

 temperature of 100° C. nothing more came over, the receiver 

 was separated ; its contents (No. 1.) were removed into a tube 

 filled with carbonic acid, with all the precautions already 

 mentioned, and again sucked up into a fresh distillation tube, 

 and re-distilled at from 100° to 170° C. The product (No. 

 2.) was put up also into tubes. The residue which remained 

 in the distillation tube at 170° C. was again, for the third time, 

 removed into a fresh distillation apparatus, and again distilled 

 at from 170° and 200° C. without leaving behind any percep- 

 tible residue, and forms No. 3. All the three distilled pro- 

 ducts were quite transparent, aether-like, very liquid, and quite 

 free from chlorine. The first scarcely took fire of itself, had 

 a strong sethereal smell, and remained liquid at —18° C. The 

 two others were exceedingly inflammable, and crystallized at 

 — 8° C. in large prismatic crystals like cacodyl. 



Tested with corrosive sublimate, the first gave but little 

 appearance of containing cacodyl ; on the contrary, the two last 

 appeared to contain a considerable quantity. Analysis gave — 



No. 1. First Distillation. 



Substance 0-561 



Carbonic acid 0*5875 



Water 0-3665 



Tube before burning .... 80-261 

 ... after burning 79-310. 



No. 2. Second Distillation. 



Substance 0-5403 



Carbonic acid 0-5140 



Water 0-3145 



Tube before burning .... 74-976 

 ... after burning 74-147. 



