96 Biological Chemistry. 



Ethyl nitrate is formed when alcohol is treated with 

 nitric acid 



C 2 H 5 OH + HN0 3 = H 2 + C 2 H 5 .N0 3 



This reaction is carried out in the presence of urea (car- 

 bamide), which decomposes nitrous acid and moderates 

 the reaction 



2HO-NO + CO(NH 2 ) 2 = C0 2 + H 3 + N, 



If urea is not present, the reaction is apt to take place 

 with explosive violence. 



Ethyl nitrate is a colourless liquid, boiling point 87, 

 with a pleasant fruity odour, and but slightly soluble in 

 water. 



Ethyl nitrite, prepared by treatment of alcohol with 

 nitrous acid (a mixture of sulphuric acid and potassium 

 nitrite), is a colourless liquid, boiling point 17. It is a 

 constituent of the pharmacopoeal preparation of sweet 

 spirit of nitre. 



Ethyl nitrite can also be prepared by treatment of 

 silver nitrite with ethyl iodide 



AgN0 2 + C 2 H 5 I = Agl + C 2 H 5 N0 2 



By this method, however, a mixture of two isomerides is 

 obtained the one ethyl nitrite, boiling point 17, and the 

 other the so-called nitroethane, boiling point 1 1 4. The con- 

 stitution of the former may be represented by the formula 



= N-OC 2 H 5 



that is, a true derivative of nitrous acid, in which a 

 hydrogen is replaced by an ethyl radicle, whereas the con- 

 stitution of nitroethane is represented by the formula 



' 



that is, the nitrogen is directly united to a carbon of the 

 alkyl radicle. The reason for assigning this constitution 



