676 



gravity at 15 C. is 2-0329. At 208 C. it enters into ebullition, but 

 cannot be distilled without decomposition. 



Treated with hot hydrochloric acid, stannic ethylomethide is de- 

 composed, yielding a crystallisable salt and a gaseous mixture, con- 

 sisting of 



Hydride of ethyl ........................... 81-21 



Hydride of methyl ......................... 1879 



100-00 



III. Action of Zincethyl upon Iodide of Mercury methyl. 



The formation of stannic ethylomethide in the manner just de- 

 scribed, encouraged the author to attempt a similar reaction with 



{C H 

 2 j 3 . Mr. Buckton's announce- 



{C 1 IT 

 Q 4 jj 5 , by an ana- 



logous reaction, tended also to strengthen the hope that a mercuric 

 ethylomethide might be thus obtained. 



Iodide of mercurymethyl is readily acted upon by zincethyl, but 

 no mercuric ethide was produced, the reaction being expressed by 

 the following equation : 



2Zn(C 4 H s ) 



IV. Action of Zincmethyl upon Chloride of Mercury ethyl. 



Although the above reaction failed to produce mercuric ethylo- 

 methide, it was still possible that this body might be formed by 

 acting upon a mercuryethyl compound with zincmethyl. About 

 five ounces of chloride of mercurous ethyl (Hg (C 4 H 5 ) Cl) were 

 added to four ounces of a strong ethereal solution of zincmethyl. 

 Considerable heat was evolved ; and after forty-eight hours the pro- 

 duct was distilled. All the volatile portion came over below 140 C. 

 The distillate was washed with weak acetic acid, dried over chloride 

 of calcium, and then rectified. A considerable portion distilled be- 

 tween 127 and 137 C., and was collected apart. The last few 

 drops came over at 156 C. Repeated rectifications of the product 



* Proceedings of the Royal Society, vol. ix. p. 31 2. 



