DERIVATIVES OF CARBONIC ACID. 223 



mother-of-pearl lustre, which are decomposed by water 

 into alcohol and potassium bicarbonate. 



Ethyl chlorcarbonate, COC1.0.C 2 H 5 . Is produced 

 by bringing carbonyl chloride together with well- 

 cooled absolute alcohol. Colorless liquid of a suffo 

 cating odor, exciting to tears; specific gravity, 1.13 ; 

 boiling point, 94. Heated with absolute alcohol it 

 yields ethyl carbonate. 



Carbon sulph oxide, COS. Occurs apparently in a 

 number of mineral springs. Is produced when car 

 bonic oxide and sulphur are conducted together through 

 a red-hot tube ; together with sulphur and sulphurous 

 anhydride, by the action of sulphuric anhydride on 

 carbon bisulphide, slowly at the ordinary temperature, 

 quickly by heating ; together with ethylamine, allyl- 

 amine, etc., by shaking the mustard-oils with concen 

 trated sulphuric acid; by heating carbon bisulphide 

 with urea, oxamide, or acetamide; by conducting dry 

 sulphuretted hydrogen into ethyl cyanate ; by heating 

 thiacetic acid to 300. Can be obtained most readily 

 by pouring moderately concentrated sulphuric acid on 

 potassium sulphocyanate. Colorless, easily inflamma 

 ble gas, of peculiar odor. Yields an explosive gas- 

 mixture with oxygen. Water absorbs about an equal 

 volume of the gas ; alkalies absorb it easily, forming 

 sulphides and carbonates. At a red heat it is partially 

 decomposed, yielding carbonic oxide and sulphur. 



Carbon bisulphide, CS 2 . Is formed by direct com 

 bination of carbon and sulphur at a high temperature. 

 Colorless, strongly refracting liquid. In a pure state 

 (obtained by shaking the commercial substance with 

 metallic mercury or mercury chloride, and then recti 

 fying) it has a pleasant ethereal odor; boiling point, 

 47 ; specific gravity, 1.27 ; easily inflammable, but 

 sparingly soluble in water; mixes with alcohol and 

 ether in all proportions. Excellent solvent for many 

 substances, for example iodine, phosphorus, sulphur, 



