452 M. Lieben on Chlorinated Ether. 



coloured liquid which readily crystallizes, and is purified by pres- 

 sure between blotting-paper and recrystallization from alcohol. 

 Its density is 3-107; it fuses at 67° C, but cannot be distilled 

 without decomposition. It has the composition of bromal, 

 C^HBr^O^; and its formation may be thus expressed: — 

 2(C2 H'» 02) + 8Br = C H Br^ 0^ + 2 HO + 5 H Br. 



Methylic alcohol. New body. 



This substance also undergoes the same change when treated by 

 potash as bromal, being resolved into formiate of potash and 

 bromoform. Notwithstanding these resemblances to bromal, it 

 must be regarded as a separate substance ; for the physical pro- 

 perties of the two substances are totally different. To express 

 this difference, Cloez has named the snhstance jjarabromalide. 



Chlorine acts upon dry methylic alcohol very energetically — 

 so much so as to give rise to explosions. The action resembles 

 that of bromine; the principal product is an isomer of chloral, 

 C'* H Cl^ 0^, which Clocz names parachhraiide. Its density is 

 1-57, and it boils at 182° C. It differs from chloral by its much 

 higher boiling-point, and also by its being insoluble in water. 



Cloez is of opinion that, between bromal and parabromalide, 

 and between chloral and parachloralide, there exist relations ana- 

 logous to those which exist between ordinary aldehyde and its 

 isomeric modifications paraldehyde, metaldehyde, &c. 



Lieben* has investigated the action of chlorine upon ether. 

 Dry chlorine is passed into ether, which is at first kept cool, 

 until there is no more action at 30°. The crude product is then 

 rectified, and the part collected which boils between 140° and 

 147°. This product has the composition C* 11^ CIO, or 



C^H^CIJ^' 

 which is that of monochlorinated ether. 



It is a colourless liquid, heavier than water, at first neutral to 

 test-paper, but afterwards imparting to it a red spot. By distil- 

 lation it experiences a partial decomposition, and hence its vapour 

 density could not be determined. It is isomeric with chlorctheral, 

 and also with the oxy chloride of ethylidene, obtained by Lieben 

 by the action of hydrochloric acid on aldehyde ; but it difi'ers 

 from the latter substance in its density, and in its higher boiling- 

 point. 



There is a curious difference in the action of water and of 

 alkalies on this substance. The former gives rise to a body 

 reducing oxide of silver, and probably isomeric with aldehyde, 

 C8 H8 C12 OH 2 HO = C8 H8 0" 4- 2 HCl. 

 * Liebig's Annalen, July 1859. 



