III. " On the Synthesis of Acetic Acid." By J. A. WANKLYN, 

 Esq. Communicated by Dr. E. FRANKLAND. Received 

 April 27, 1859. 



I have elsewhere* shown that a salt of propionic acid results 

 when carbonic acid is brought into contact with a compound consist- 

 ing of ethyl and an alkali-metal. Guided by a well-known principle, 

 I also inferred that an analogous reaction is common to the whole 

 vinic series. 



Believing, however, that it was desirable to investigate other mem- 

 bers of the series, I have since undertaken the case of the corre- 

 sponding methyl-compound, and find that it fully bears out the law, 

 as will be manifest from the following details. 



Some sodium-methyl in mixture with zinc-methyl, zinc, sodium, 

 and ether was obtained by acting with sodium upon a strong ethereal 

 solution of zinc-methyl. The product so obtained was divided into 

 two portions one of which was exposed to the action of a current 

 of dry carbonic acid, and the other reserved for comparison. 



During the transmission of carbonic acid, the sodium-methyl 

 became hot. After the completion of the reaction, the resulting 

 solid was treated with a little mercury, in order to convert any free 

 sodium into an amalgam, which would not decompose water with too 

 great violence. 



Subsequent distillation of the product, with excess of dilute sul- 

 phuric acid, yielded a distillate having most distinctly the smell and 

 taste of acetic acid. This acid distillate was redistilled, when it 

 proved to be free from sulphuric acid. 



Some of it was converted into a silver-salt by digestion with oxide 

 of silver. This silver-salt was dissolved in hot water, filtered hot, 

 and allowed to crystallize on cooling. An abundant crop of crystals 

 separated, which was drained from the mother-liquor, the employ- 

 ment of a filter being avoided. The crystals were afterwards dried 

 in vacuo over sulphuric acid until they no longer lost weight. 



Determinations of silver were made by ignition, the resulting silver 

 being reheated and reweighed until it remained constant. 



* See Quarterly Journal of the Chemical Society, July 1858, page 130. 



