727 



opening the tube and adding water to its contents, a heavy oil sepa- 

 rated, which was well washed with the water, in order to remove any 

 acetic acid or undecomposed glycol it might contain, dried over chlo- 

 ride of calcium, and distilled. Almost the entire quantity passed 

 over between 144 and 146. Specimens obtained at different times 

 gave the following numbers on analysis, which lead to the formula 



27-48* 

 122-50 100-00 



I propose to call this body chloracetine of glycol. It is the inter- 

 mediate compound between Dutch liquid and diacetate of glycol. Its 

 formation may be thus explained : 



l 



Chloracetine of glycol is a colourless liquid, heavier than water, 

 its specific gravity being M783 at Cent. It boils at 145, distil- 

 ling without decomposition. It is not decomposed by cold water, at 

 least not to any great extent ; even boiling water effects its decom- 

 position with difficulty. Heated with potash, it gives chloride of 

 potassium and acetate of potash. It is probable that the ether of 

 glycol is also formed in this reaction, or perhaps glycol itself. This 

 point I have not yet been able to determine. Chloracetine is iso- 

 meric with a compound I obtained a short time ago, by exposing 

 ordinary aldehyde to the action of chloride of acetyle (C 4 H 3 O 2 Cl)f. 

 This body differs from the chloracetine in its boiling-point, which is 

 about 23 degrees lower, and in being more readily decomposed both 

 by water and potash. The products formed by the action of potash 

 also establish a difference between these bodies. Both give chloride 

 of potassium and acetate of potash, but the body from aldehyde gives, 

 iu addition, resin of aldehyde ; whereas from chloracetine no resin 



* A slight loss occurred in this analysis. 

 t Comptes Rendus, 29 Nov. 1858. 



