341 



XXII. "On some new Ethyl-compounds containing the Alkali- 

 metals." By J. A. WANKLYN, Esq. Communicated by 

 EDWARD FRANKLAND, Ph.D. Received June 10, 1858. 



(Abstract.) 



The very remarkable composition and properties of that class of 

 substances comprehending kakodyl and zinc-ethyl, have justly at- 

 tached no ordinary degree of interest to the so-called organo-metallic 

 compounds. 



Influenced by that interest, I was led to inquire whether the series 

 might not include members into whose composition the alkali-metals 

 entered. It was a question whether combination between so power- 

 fully electro-positive a body as potassium or sodium on the one 

 hand, and a hydrocarbon radical on the other, did not involve 

 impossible conditions. It seemed that the answer to this query 

 would not be valueless as a contribution to the store of facts out of 

 which we may hope some day to evoke the conditions of chemical 

 combination. 



My researches in this direction have already enabled me to pro- 

 duce combinations of ethyl with potassium and sodium ; and I have 

 little doubt that I shall be able to produce similar compounds con- 

 taining lithium, barium, strontium, calcium, and magnesium. Com- 

 binations containing methyl in place of ethyl will also be sought. 

 The present paper will be devoted chiefly to the ethyl-compound of 



sodium. 



Sodiu m-e thy I. 



Experiments made with a view to the formation of this body by 

 reactions similar to that by which zinc-ethyl is produced, yielded 

 negative results ; but some months ago I made the observation that 

 potassium and sodium decomposed zinc-ethyl, and I found the action 

 to consist in the replacement of a portion of the zinc by the metal 

 employed. 



Sodium- ethyl was prepared as follows : A tube of soft glass was 

 closed at one end and filled with coal-gas. In it was then placed a 

 single clean piece of sodium ; its open extremity was then closed 

 with the finger, and whilst still filled with coal-gas, the tube was 

 contracted about the middle, drawn out and bent twice at right 

 angles ; pure zinc-ethyl, in quantity about ten times the weight 



