58 DERIVATIVES OF ETHYL ALCOHOL. 



product of the reaction is then brought into an ap 

 paratus filled with hydrogen, and water, which has 

 been boiled and allowed to cool, slowly added. The ethyl 

 phosphine is by this means set free and then condensed 

 in a spiral tube surrounded by ice. The distillate 

 dried by means of caustic potassa is pure ethylphos- 

 phine. Mobile, colorless, transparent liquid, insoluble 

 in water; refracts light strongly; lighter than water; 

 boils at 25 ; entirely without action upon vegetable 

 colors ; exceedingly disagreeable odor. Takes fire when 

 brought together with bromine, chlorine, and fuming 

 nitric acid. Combines with sulphur and carbon bisul 

 phide, forming liquid compounds. 



It combines with hydrochloric, -bromic, and -iodic 

 acids, forming salts. Ethylphosphine hydriodate 

 (C 2 H 5 )H 2 P.HI forms white, four-sided plates, which 

 can be sublimed in an atmosphere of hydrogen at the 

 temperature of boiling water. Is soluble &quot;&quot; in water, 

 undergoing complete decomposition ; soluble in alcohol 

 with partial decomposition ; insoluble in ether ; slightly 

 soluble but without decomposition in concentrated 

 hydriodic acid. The addition of ether to this solution 

 causes the salt to separate in crystalline form. Oxid 

 ized by means of nitric acid it yields ethylphosphinic 

 add (C 2 H 5 ).PO.(OH) 2 . This is a solid body, that fuses 

 at 44. It is a bibasic acid. 



Diethylphosphine, C 4 H 11 P=(C 2 H 5 ) 2 .PH. Is pro 

 duced together with ethylphosphine in the preparation 

 of the latter. To obtain it from the mixture, after 

 having treated the product of the reaction with water 

 in order to set the ethylphosphine free, a strong solu 

 tion of caustic soda is added to the mixture in the 

 flask, which still must be kept filled with hydrogen. 

 The diethylphosphine is thus set free and condensed 

 by means of an ordinary apparatus. The liquid dried 

 with caustic potassa is diethylphosphine in a chemi 

 cally pure condition. Colorless, transparent, perfectly 

 neutral liquid, insoluble in water, lighter than it, 

 refracts light strongly. Boils at 85. Penetrating 

 odor, not at all similar to that of ethylphosphine. 



