30 Mr. Noad on the Action of Nitric Acid on Cymol. 



pyroxylic spirit by the hydrochloric acid gas. On cooling 

 the acid liquid was poured off and the oil rej^eatedly washed 

 with water ; in a few hours it solidified into a confused cry- 

 stalline mass, still however black and having a peculiar 

 vinous smell : an attempt was made to purify it by distilla- 

 tion with water; in consequence, however, of its high boiling- 

 point, very little passed over into the receiver after two or 

 three hours' distillation. It was then heated with strong 

 nitric acid, and after boiling for a few minutes, water added ; 

 the aether now readily separated in clear, light yellow oily 

 drops : ammonia was then added to remove any nitrotoluylic 

 acid that might have been present, and the oil collected on 

 a watch-glass ; in a few minutes it solidified into a crystalline 

 mass, which ^"^ as dissolved in aether, filtered and recrystallized, 

 and then exposed for some time to the heat of the water-bath ; 

 on cooling it solidified as before, and was then considered 

 sufficiently pure for analysis. 



0'376 grm. gave by combustion with oxide of copper 0*756 

 grm. of carbonic acid and 0'164 grm. of water, corresponding 

 in per cents, to 



Carbon .... 54*84 

 Hydrogen . . . 4"83 



and agreeing with the formula Cg Hg 0,0,5 <^ -^t^ r Og. 



Tlieovy. Experiment. 



18 eqs. Carbon . . . . lOS 55-38 54-84 



9 ... Hydrogen ... 9 4-61 4-83 



1 ... Nitrogen ... 14 7*18 



8 ... Oxygen. ... 64 32-83 



... Nitrotoluylate ofl ^g, j^^.^q 

 oxide 01 methyle .J 



After standing two or three days, beautiful colourless 

 stellar crystals were deposited on the sides of the vessel con- 

 taining an aqueous solution of this tether; it is probable, 

 therefore, that this as well as the last-described compound 

 is, when pei'fectly pure, colourless. The two fethers closely 

 resemble each other in their physical characters, the smell of 

 the latter is, however, less agreeable than that of the former ; 

 both are decomposed by potash into nitrotoluylic acid and 

 alcohol or pyroxylic spirit. 



The following salts of this acid I merely examined quali- 

 tatively. 



Nitrotoluylate of Potash is a very soluble salt crystaUizing 

 with great difficulty in small needles. 



