382 Royal Society :— 



"Further Remarks on the Organo-metalhc Radicals Mercuric, 

 Stannic, and Plumbic Ethyle." — No. III. By George Bowdler 

 Buckton, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.C.S. 



On resuming my inquiries into the nature of these organo-metals, 

 I have met with some interesting reactions, which I here wish briefly 

 to notice. 



The preparation of mercuric, stannic, and plumbic ethyles, through 

 the action of zincethyle on various organic and inorganic salts, has 

 been already detailed in my sketch published in the ' Proceedings of 

 the Roval Society* ;' but at that time, I was not able to fix, with 

 certainty, the constitution of the compounds which were produced 

 by acids on the different radicals. An appeal to analysis now en- 

 ables me to state the following : 



Mercuric ethyle. 



The reactions of this liquid are well-marked. Towards sulphuric 

 and hydrochloric acids it follows the deportment of its homologue 

 mercuric methyle. When assisted by gentle heat, one equivalent of 

 ethyle is disengaged, which unites with the hydrogen of the acid, and 

 forms hydride of ethyle, whilst the acid takes its place, and gives rise 

 to the corresponding salt of mercurous ethyle. 



The radical bursts into flame when poured into chlorine gas, and 

 is almost entirely destroyed ; but when it is slowly mixed under water 

 with iodine or bromine, the disengagement of ethyle gas is scarcely 

 perceived, and iodide or bromide of ethyle may be recovpred by 

 distillation. 



4 (Hg C, H,) + 2 H S0,=2 (Hg, C, HJ S_,0, + 2 (C, H^ H) 



Mercuric ethyle. Sulphate of Hydride of ethyle. 



mercurous ethyle. 



2 (Hg C, H,) + 2 Br = Hg, C, H, Br + C, H, Br. 



Mercuric ethyle. Bromide of Bromide of ethyle. 



mercurous ethyle. 



From considerations connected vrith the vapour density of mercuric 

 ethyle and mercuric methyle, as given by experiment, there seem to be 

 reasons for believing that the formulae of all the organo-metals of this 

 group should, in correctness, be doubled. I have not, however, yet 

 been able to satisfy these views by direct experiment. Zincethyle 

 acts readily on salts of mercurous methyle ; and in all probability 

 gives a body compounded of ethyle and methyle with a double equi- 

 valent of mercury „* r<^ tt^ r • The substance, however, if pro- 

 ■^ Hg C, H3 / ' i 



duced, is obviously broken by distillation into the two radicals mer- 

 curic ethyle and mercuric methyle. Experiment may perhaps prove 

 more successful if salts of stannic methyle be similarly treated. 



The electro-negative character of the group Cn2 Hn2+i in the class 

 of organo-metals to which zincethyle belongs, may now perhaps be 

 considered as established. Some interest, nevertheless, attaches to 

 * Phil. Mag, vol. xvii. p. 212. 



