685 



III. " Further Remarks on the Organo-metallic Radicals Mer- 

 curic, Stannic, and Plumbic Ethyl." No. III. By GEORGE 

 BOWDLER BUCKTON, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.C.S. Received 



March 3, 1859. 



(Abstract.) 



On resuming my inquiries into the nature of these organo-metals, 

 I have met with some interesting reactions, which I here wish briefly 

 to notice. 



The preparation of mercuric, stannic, and plumbic ethyls, through 

 the action of zinc ethyl on various organic and inorganic salts, has 

 been already detailed in my sketch published in the ' Proceedings of 

 the Royal Society* ;' but at that time, I was not able to fix, with 

 certainty, the constitution of the compounds which were produced 

 by acids on the different radicals. An appeal to analysis now en- 

 ables me to state the following 



Mercuric ethyl. 



The reactions of this liquid are well-marked. Towards sulphuric 

 and hydrochloric acids it follows the deportment of its homologue 

 mercuric methyl. When assisted by gentle heat, one equivalent of 

 ethyl is disengaged, which unites with the hydrogen of the acid, and 

 forms hydride of ethyl, whilst the acid takes its place, and gives rise 

 to the corresponding salt of mercurous ethyl. 



The radical bursts into flame when poured into chlorine gas, and 

 is almost entirely destroyed ; but when it is slowly mixed under water 

 with iodine or bromine, the disengagement of ethyl gas is scarcely 

 perceived, and iodide or bromide of ethyl may be recovered by 

 distillation. 



4 (Hg C 4 H 5 ) + 2 H S0 4 =2 (Hg 2 C 4 H 5 ) S 2 O 8 + 2 (C 4 H 5 H) 



Mercuric ethyl. Sulphate of Hydride of ethyl, 



mercurous ethyl. 



2 (Hg C 4 H 5 ) + 2 Br=Hg 2 C 4 H 5 Br + C 4 H 5 Br. 



Mercuric ethyl. Bromide of Bromide of ethyl, 



mercurous ethyl. 



From considerations connected with the vapour density of mercuric 

 ethyl and mercuric methyl, as given by experiment, there seem to be 

 reasons for believing that the formulae of all the organo-metals of this 



* Proc. Roy. Soc. vol. ix. p. 309. 



