[ 269 ] 
XXXII. Chemical Notices from Foreign Journals. 
By E. Arxinson, Ph.D. 
[Continued from p. 108.] 
URTZ* has published a paper on the constitution and 
formula of oxalic acid, in which he establishes a 
relation between that acid and glycol, the diatomic alcohol dis- 
covered by himself+. By the action of weak nitric acid on glycol 
in the cold, glycolic acid is formed ; but when glycol is boiled for 
a few minutes with weak nitric acid, a lively action ensues, red 
fumes are disengaged, and the liquor on standing some time 
solidifies to a mass of crystals, which are oxalic acid. Treated 
with stronger nitric acid, glycol yields besides oxalic acid, car- 
bonic acid, and a certain amount of glycolic acid. 
The products of the regular and successive oxidation of glycol 
are hence two acids, glycolic and oxalic, which stand to each 
other in the following relation :-— 
44 41202 4¢4 
C i} 04 C*H 12 +O" C He FO% 
Glycol. Glycolic acid. Oxalie acid. 
A similar relation exists between alcohol and acetic acid, 
C*H*) 7. C* H3 0? 
a phe yO 
Alcohol. Acetic acid. 
These acids are formed by the substitution of oxygen for a 
certain quantity of hydrogen in the radical of the alcohol. The 
radical of glycol is olefiant gas; when half the hydrogen is re- 
placed by oxygen, glycolic acid is formed; and when the sub- 
stitution is complete, oxalic acid is the result. 
Oxalic acid stands in the same relation to glycol as acetic acid 
does to alcohol, and oxalic acid may be called the acetic acid of 
the diatomic alcohol series. Monatomic alcohol requires 4 equi- 
valents of oxygen for its transformation into acetic acid ; diatomic 
glycol requires 8 equivalents to experience the corresponding 
change, : 
C4 H® 07+ 0?=4HO + C4 H? 08, 
Glycol. Oxalic acid. 
It appears clear from these experiments that oxalic acid con- 
tains 4 equivalents of carbon. Wurtz considers that the other 
organic acids, such as succinic, suberic, sebacic, &c., which belong 
to the oxalic acid series, will be found to be derived from the 
higher glycols, the existence of which he has already demon- 
strated. 
* Comptes Rendus, June 29, 1857. 
+ Phil, Mag, Supplement, January 1857. 
