On the Peroxides of the Acids of the Organic Radicals. 303 



position by baryta-water. An undetermined quantity of the sub- 

 stance was thus decomposed, and the oxygen estimated which was 

 evolved by the decomposition of the peroxide of barium formed, by 

 platina-black, and the acetate of baryta determined as sulphate. The 

 result is the same as though the peroxide of acetyls were decomposed 

 into anhydrous acetic acid and oxygen, thus, 



C,H,0,=C,H303+0. 



Thus for every 1 6 parts of oxygen evolved, 2 equivalents of acetate 

 of baryta and 1 of sulphate of baryta, SO^ Ba,, would be produced. 

 Now we have 



SO, Ba, O 

 233-2" : 16 :: 100 : 6-86. 



In the actual experiment \'776 gr. of sulphate of baryta was 

 obtained, and 0'1225 of oxygen evolved. 



1776 : 0-1225 :: 100 : 6-89. 



It has not yet been in my power to pursue further the study of 

 these substances. I may, however, observe, that the peroxide of 

 acetyle contains the elements of carbonic acid and of the acetate of 

 methyle, and the peroxide of benzoyle the elements of carbonic acid 

 and of the benzoate of plienyle. I have ascertained that the peroxide 

 of benzoyle, when carefully heated, loses exactly one equivalent of car- 

 bonic acid ; but the substance formed, although isomeric with the 

 benzoate of phenyle, has not the properties of that body. It is a 

 yellow resin, soluble in ether and alkalies, from which latter solution 

 it is precipitated by acids. 



The existence of a hydrated peroxide may be anticipated, inter- 

 mediate between the organic peroxide and the peroxide of hydrogen, 

 in the same sense as the organic acid is intermediate between water 

 and the anhydrous acid. This substance in the series of benzoyle 

 would be isomeric with salicylic acid. My efforts, however, to pro- 

 cure these bodies have, as yet, been unsuccessful ; and it is to be re- 

 membered that we have no evidence of the existence of a hydrated 

 peroxide of barium, or of any other metal, corresponding to the 

 hydrated protoxide. In the series of ethyle the diatomic alcohol of 

 Wurtz (C, H,, OJ is isomeric with the hydrated peroxide. But the 

 true peroxide of ethyle remains yet to be discovered. 



The question naturally arises as to what would be the result of 

 making similar experiments with the chlorides and the anhydrides 

 of the bibasic acids. Now carbonic acid may be regarded as the 

 peroxide of oxalic acid : it is the constant product of the action of 

 oxidizing agents upon that body ; and were we able to procure the 

 unknown anhydride of oxalic acid, it would not be an unreasonable 

 anticipation that with tlie peroxide of barium it would decompose 

 into oxalate and carbonic acid, thus 



2C,0,-|-Ba,0,=C,0,Ba, + 2CO,. 



A similar experiment with anhydrous succinic acid would produce 

 succinate of baryta and a homologue of carbonic acid, the existence 



