Mr. G. B. Buckton on the Organo-metallic Radicals. 213 



problems, and seem to be well suited for experiment in the present 

 case. Bearing in mind its well-known reactions on water and hydro- 

 chloric acid, there appeared to be well-grounded reasons for supposing 

 that interesting decompositions might be effected with various oxides, 

 chlorides, and iodides. 



Through the instrumentality of zinc-ethyle the author has succeeded 

 in isolating, in a neat and efficient manner, several of the organo- 

 metals, and he indulges a hope that they may, when taken as starting- 

 points of investigation, prove of service in fixing exact formulae to 

 some of those bodies, the composition of which, at present, appear 

 doubtful from their complexity. 



Action of Zinc-ethyle on Mercuric Chloride. 



Corrosive sublimate acts with great energy on zinc-ethyle ; so much 

 so, as to render it necessary to cool the apparatus in water, and add 

 the well-dried salt by degrees. An excess of the latter must be 

 avoided, since chloride of mercurous ethyle would be formed, as was 

 formerly shown to be the case in the methyle series. 



After the two bodies have been brought together in their proper 

 proportions, heat is applied, and the radical passes over by distillation 

 as a heavy, colourless, and nearly inodorous liquid ; the slight excess 

 of zinc-ethyle is then decomposed by the addition of water, and just 

 sufficient dilute hydrochloric acid added as will dissolve the preci- 

 pitated oxide of zinc. 



The two transformations may be seen in the equations, 



C, Hj Zn -f Hg CI = C, H5 Hg -1- Zn CI, 

 and again, 



C,H,Hg-t-HgCl=C,H,Hg,Cl. 



The pure radical boils at a temperature between 158° and 160° C. 

 It burns readily, with a luminous and somewhat smoky flame, with 

 disengagement of mercurial vapour. It is almost wholly insoluble 

 in water. Alcohol dissolves it rather sparingly, but it mixes freely 

 with ether. 



The behaviour of acids towards mercuric ethyle is strictly analogous 

 to that shown by mercuric methyle. With dilute acid there is but 

 little change, but warm concentrated hydrochloric or sulphuric acid 

 liberates hydride of ethyle in sufficient quantity to permit of its 

 inflammation through a gas jet. The salts of mercurous ethyle 

 remain in solution. 



The specific gravity of a specimen boiling between 1.58° and 100° C. 

 was found to be 2*444, and the same sample when submitted to 

 analysis, gave numbers agreeing accurately with the formula 



CJI.IIg. 



The correctness of this formula was further confirmed by an appeal 

 to the vapour-density. 



The first experiment failed, from the circumstance that the vapour 

 decomposes with a slight explosion, when heated a few degrees 

 above 205° C In this experiment metallic mercury was deposited 



