473 Royal Society : — 



according to Dr. Atkinson's excellent method *, to whom is due the 

 credit of having first substituted acetate of potash for acetate of 

 silver in its preparation. He was not the first, however, to prepare 

 it from bromide of ethylene, as M. Wurtz has been in the habit of 

 preparing it from that body for the last two years. 



The following slight modification of Dr. Atkinson's method will 

 be found very convenient, particularly when large quantities of glycol 

 are to be prepared. Instead of heating the materials for forming the 

 monoacetate of glycol in a close vessel, they are heated in a large 

 balloon, connected with a Liebig's condenser in such a manner as to 

 cause the condensed vapours to flow back into the balloon. 



Action of Sulphuric Acid on Glycol — Sulphoglycolate of Baryta. 

 — Sulphuric acid forms an acid ether with glycol, which gives a 

 soluble salt with baryta. This compound is readily prepared by 

 exposing a mixture of equivalent quantities of glycol and sulphuric 

 acid (S^HjO,) to the temperature of 150° Cent., diluting with water 

 and neutrahzing with carbonate of baryta. This liquid, on being 

 filtered, and evaporated on a water-bath to the consistence of a syrup, 

 gives on coohng a white solid mass, which is the body in question. 

 This was pressed between folds of blotting-paper, dried m vacuo over 

 sulphuric acid, and analysed. The numbers obtained on analysis 

 lead to the formula C^ H^ 0, 1 



Ba J 

 as will be seen from the following per-centage Table : — 

 Theory. Experiment. 



. A ^ 



II. III. IV. 



38-09 



36-50 36-10 



209-5 109-00 

 The formation of this compound may be thus explained : — 



P FT 1 ^4 ■'^5 ^2 1 



On neutralizing this compound with carbonate of baryta, the basic 

 hydrogen is replaced by one atom of barium. I propose to call this 

 salt sulphoglycolate of baryta. It is analogous in composition to 

 the sulphoglycerate of baryta obtained by M. Pelouze. This salt 

 does not readily crystallize. It is almost insoluble in ether and in 

 absolute alcohol, but freely soluble in water. It is somewhat deli- 

 quescent. Exposure to the temperature of 100° Cent, causes slight 

 decomposition. From its solution in water, sulphuric acid precipi- 

 tates sulphate of barytes. Baryta-water occasions no precipitate, at 

 least in the cold ; on heating, however, for some time, it becomes 

 turbid, from the separation of the same salt. 



* Philosophical Magazine, Dec. 1858. 



t Chromate of lead was employed ia this a ualysis. 



