394 NAPHTHA, COAL 



removing the fluid by the tap h, and distilling it in an ordinary still, a very good coal- 

 naphtha of a density of about 0-870 will be obtained. 



It is extremely curious that naphthas which contain large quantities of naphthaline 

 will often distil without the latter crystallising out. It is volatilised in the vapour of 

 the naphtha, and therefore escapes observation. But if a little chlorine be poured 

 into the fluid, or if a little chloride of lime be added, followed by an acid, and the 

 fluid be then distilled, the naphthaline will come over in the solid state, so that it can 

 be removed by mechanical methods. It does not appear to be due to the formation 

 of Laurent's chloride of naphthaline, for the product contains only traces of chlorine. 



Benzole has been much used of late to remove greasy and fatty matters from 

 cotton, wool, silk, and mixed fabrics. It is by no means essential that the benzole 

 should be absolutely pure for this purpose. By this it is meant that the presence of 

 naphthas, boiling somewhat above 177, does not materially affect the usefulness of the 

 fluid. If, however, the naphtha is to be employed for removing greasy stains from 

 dresses, gloves, or other articles to be worn, the purer and more volatile the hydro- 

 carbon, the more readily and completely the odour will be removed by evaporation. 

 Mr. F. C. Calvert patented the application of benzole to some purposes of this 

 kind. He first purified the naphtha by means of sulphuric acid and caustic alkalis 

 in the usual manner, and then rectified it at a temperature not exceeding 212. 



For this purpose the apparatus described in Jig. 1547 will be found well suited. The 

 inventor applies the rectified coal-naphtha, or nearly pure benzole, to the following 

 purposes : 1st, for removing spots and stains of grease, i.e. fatty or oily matters, tar, 

 paint, wax, or resin, from cotton, woollen, silk, and other fabrics, when, in consequence 

 of its volatility, no mark or permanent odour remains. 2nd, for removing fatty or 

 oily matters from hair, furs, feathers, and wools, and for cleaning gloves and other 

 articles made of leather, hair, fur, and wool. 3rd, for removing the fatty matters 

 which exist naturally in wool. 4th, for removing from wool, tar, paint, oil, grease, 

 and similar substances used by farmers for marking, salving, and smearing their sheep. 

 5th, for cleansing or removing the oily or fatty matters which are contained in cotton- 

 waste that has been used for cleansing or wiping machinery or other articles to which 

 oil or grease has been applied. In order to remove the above matters by means of 

 coal-naphtha, the articles, if small, are merely rubbed with it. On the large scale 

 the matters to be operated on are placed in suitable vessels, and the naphtha is run 

 in. After contact for some hours the fluid is run off, and the fabrics are passed 

 through squeezers and submitted to strong pressure to remove the greater portion of 

 the benzole or naphtha. The naphthas which run out are distilled off, so that the 

 greasy matters may be preserved and used for lubricating machinery or other purposes. 



Furniture paste may also be made from light coal naphtha or benzole by the follow- 

 ing process : One part of wax and one of resin is to be dissolved in two parts of the 

 hydrocarbon, with the aid of heat. When entirely dissolved, the whole is allowed to 

 cool, and is then fit for use. 



Naphthaline is used for the preparation of lamp-black, but the quantity employed 

 for that purpose is but small. The quantity annually produced by the various gas- 

 works is enormous. Its odour and volatility prevent its being applied to lubricating 

 purposes. It often happens that much valuable time is lost by unscientific operators 

 in endeavouring to remove the smell from such substances as naphthaline ; they forget 

 that the odour of a body of this class is a part of itself, and cannot be removed without 

 its destruction. It is possible that the compounds of naphthaline may one day be 

 applied to useful purposes. By treating naphthaline with excess of chlorine, and 

 removing fluid substances with ether, a crystalline paste is obtained. This paste, 

 dissolved in boiling benzole and allowed to repose, deposits beautiful rhombohedral 

 crystals, often of largo size. They have exactly the form of Iceland spar, and, like 

 that substance, possess the power of double refraction. When nitronaphthaline is 

 treated with acetic acid and iron filings in the same manner as that employed by 

 M. Bechamp for the production of aniline, a base is obtained of the formula C M H 9 N ; 

 it is called Nnphthalamine. It is, therefore, isomeric with cryptidine, but has no other 

 point of resemblance. 



If treated with nitric acid, naphthaline yields phthalic acid, and this by elimination 

 of carbonic acid may be either converted into benzole or into benzoic acid. Benzoic 

 acid is now derived commercially from naphthaline. 



The relation which appears to exist between naphthaline and alizarine is also very 

 interesting. Alizarine is now prepared artificially from anthracene or paranaphthaline, 

 by processes described under the articles ALIZAIIIXE and ANTHRACENE. 



JNaphthalamine, which is the base corresponding to aniline, is now manufactured in 

 the same way as that body is from benzole. It yields beautiful commercial dyes, 

 viz. : Martius yellow, Magdala red, Naphthaline violet, and Naphthaline blue. 



It is said that naphthaline has been employed with advantage in the treatment of 





