714 



temperature of the liquid is raised, a little sulphurous acid makes its 

 appearance. 



Relying on Berthelot's experiments, formic acid we can conceive 

 to be formed by the addition of the molecule carbonyle to the type 

 water. In the same manner glyoxylic acid might be produced by 

 adding oxalyle to one atom of water. 

 CO + H 2 



Formic acid. 



C 2 O 2 + H 2 O 



Glyoxylic acid. 



Since both acids are easily oxidized, the one to carbonic, and the 

 other to oxalic acid, we may say that, with regard to composition, 

 formic acid stands to carbonic acid in a similar relation as glyoxylic 

 acid does to oxalic acid. 



CO + H 2 O =CH 2 2 C 2 2 +H 2 O = C 2 H 2 O 3 



Formic acid. Glyoxylic acid. 



2 =CH 2 3 C 2 2 + H 2 2 =C 2 H 2 4 



Carbonic acid Oxalic acid, 



plus water. 



But with regard to other properties, these acids do not correspond 

 to each other : thus formic acid is monobasic and carbonic acid biba- 

 sic, whilst both glyoxylic and oxalic acids are biatomic. Further, 

 the latter two are derived from the same alcohol, which is not the 

 case with carbonic and formic acids. Amongst the products of the 

 oxidation of glycol occurs also glycolic acid, which is produced from 

 glyoxal by the assimilation of water. 



C 2 H 2 2 +H 2 0=C 2 H 4 3 



Glyoxal. Glycolic acid. 



Some regard glycolic acid (C 2 H 4 O 3 ) as a bibasic acid. According 

 to this view, it would stand to glycol as acetic acid does to common 



alcohol. 



C 2 H 6 



Alcohol. 



C 2 H 4 O a 



Glycolic acid. Acetic acid. 



