CHEMISTRY. 



145 



(R. S.), 1861. The author describes a mode of 

 manipulation by which carbonic acid was lique- 

 fied in small quantities in glass tubes, and with 

 safety to the operator, although the pressure 

 was as great as from 500 to 1,100 Ibs. per square 

 inch ; and by which also various solid substances 

 could be introduced into the acid so existing 

 the glass tubes permitting observation of the 

 action taking place. The acid dissolved white 

 phosphorus, anhydrous boracic acid, the iodide 

 of sulphur, the biniodide and the perchloride 

 of phosphorus, the bromides of arsenic and an- 

 timony, naphthaline, gamboge, and especially 

 iodine and camphor ; while upon a very large 

 number of bodies it exerted no influence. It 

 discolored gutta-percha, and produced in caout- 

 chouc a considerable increase of volume. 



Properties of liquefied HydrocJiloric Acid 

 Gas. At the meeting of the Royal Society, 

 May 4, 1865, Mr. Gore presented a paper on 

 this subject, the method of experiment being 

 similar to that indicated above. The pressure 

 obtained was believed to be about 700 Ibs. to 

 the square inch; and the acid being in some 

 cases liquid at intervals only [or sometimes, it 

 appears, only about the body introduced], the 

 results are modified by these circumstances; 

 though the author considers that the action was 

 thus probably increased. 



The results of a great number of experiments 

 show that for solid bodies in general the lique- 

 fied anhydrous acid has but a feeble solvent 

 power; much feebler, indeed, than the same 

 acid in its ordinary condition, as mixed with 

 water. The facts may indicate low solvent 

 power chiefly, and not to the same extent a 

 low chemical activity, the latter becoming hin- 

 dered by formation of insoluble films over the 

 bodies immersed. Out of 86 solid bodies the 

 liquefied acid dissolved but 12, and some of 

 these only in minute degree ; mz. : of 5 metal- 

 loids, 1 iodine; of 15 metals, 1 aluminium; 

 of 22 oxides, 5 titanic acid, arsenious and ar- 

 senic acids, teroxide of antimony, and oxide of 

 zinc ; of 9 carbonates, none ; of 8 sulphides, 1 

 tersulphide of antimony; of V chlorides, 2 

 pentachloride of phosphorus, and protochloride 

 of tin ; and of 7 organic bodies, 2 only. Oxides 

 generally it converted into chlorides, and many 

 carbonates also. The chlorate and nitrate of 

 potash were decomposed. In the latter case, 

 the liberated carbonic acid did not escape in 

 bubbles; and as the author had formerly shown 

 that carbonic and gaseous hydrochloric acids 

 liquefied together did not separate, but were 

 intimately dissolved, it is probable the like lique- 

 faction and solution of the former took place in 

 the cases referred to. The author mentioned 

 that tubes, charged in October, 1860, with 

 liquefied carbonic acid, had suffered no leakage 

 by February, 1865. 



Synthesis of Organic Compounds. A sort of 

 general view of the subject of the chemical syn- 

 thesis of bodies known as organic, and which 

 had formerly been obtained only through the 

 agency of the vital processes in plants and ani- 

 VOL. T. 10 A 



mals, or through decomposition of products 

 furnished by them, will be found in this CYCLO- 

 PAEDIA for June, 1862 the examples of alcohol 

 and acetylene being further considered in the 

 volume for 1863. The number of instances of 

 new syntheses of bodies of the class referred to 

 is continually increasing, and new methods are 

 in some cases discovered for such as had been 

 already accomplished. 



To several cases of syntheses of organic com- 

 pounds proper, and of such compounds as 

 might naturally be derivatives from some of 

 these, it will be proper to refer briefly in this 

 place. Thus, M. Schoyen has effected the pro- 

 duction of butyric acid from the simpler body, 

 ethyle gas, by means of successive reactions 

 with chlorine, acetate of potash and acetic acid, 

 and baryta. M. Freund has produced acetone, 

 C 8 H 6 2 , by action of chloride of acetyle on 

 zinc-methyle ; and M. Friedel has obtained the 

 same substance by reaction of methylate of 

 sodium [query : sodium-methyle ?] with chlora- 

 cetone, (XlLCl. This last body had been pre- 

 viously obtained by M. Harnitz-Harnitzsky, 

 by reaction of chlorocarbonic acid (phosgene 

 gas), C 2 O 2 C1 2 , with aldehyde. M. Semenoff 

 has prepared ethylene (olefiant gas) by heating 

 a mixture by weight of 1 part absolute alcohol 

 and 5 parts sulphuric acid ; the introduction of 

 sand to prevent frothing is unnecessary, and 

 with careful heating the liberation of the gas 

 commences at 100, and is quite regular. By 

 a method similar to one of those adopted by M. 

 Berthelot for obtaining acetylene the abstract- 

 ing from bromide of ethylene of two mole- 

 cules of bromhydric acid M. Reboul in 1863 

 succeeded in forming a new hydrocarbon, a 

 colorless liquid of the composition denoted by 

 doHe, to which he assigned the name of va- 

 lerylene. This was obtained by heating in a 

 tube sealed by aid of a lamp-flame, and for 140 

 hours the bromide of amylene with an al- 

 coholic solution of potassa. By methods also 

 similar, M. Sawitzsch, setting out from propy- 

 lene, has procured allylene ; and M. Caventou, 

 starting with butylene, has obtained crotony- 

 lene. 



MM. Berthelot and De Luca, by treating 

 iodide of allyle with an alloy of tin and sodi- 

 um, in 1856, separated the then new hydrocar- 

 bon, allyle, its formula being, according to 

 them, C 6 H 5 . Wurtz, however, is led by his 

 examination of this body to double the combin- 

 ing proportions thus stated, giving CiHio. 

 He has accordingly proposed for it the name 

 of diallyle ; and he has made it the starting- 

 point of an extended series of new reactions 

 and products From benzophenone, C !8 Hi O 2 , 

 the acetone corresponding to benzoic acid, M. 

 Linnemann has obtained also an extensive se- 

 ries of compounds. Frankland and Duppa have 

 succeeded in producing synthetically, not only 

 'an acid identical or isomeric with butyric acid 

 by action of iodide of methyle on disodium- 

 acetic ether but also the butyric and capronic 

 ethers, the former by action of sodium on ace- 



