18 Frankland and Duppa Adds of the Lactic Series. [Jan. 12, 



(bar. 29'85 in.), at which temperature the whole of the remaining liquid 

 passes over. Submitted to analysis, this liquid yielded results closely 

 corresponding to the formula 



C 7 H 14 8 . 



The decomposition of this ether by baryta, described below, proves it to 

 be the methyh'c ether of an acid of the same composition as leucic acid, 

 with which also it agrees in its fusing-point. The composition of this 

 ether may therefore be thus expressed : 



OCH 3 



Leucate of methyl is a colourless, transparent, and tolerably mobile 

 liquid, possessing a peculiar ethereal odour only remotely resembling leucate 

 of ethyl. It is very sparingly soluble in water, but readily soluble in alcohol 

 or ether. Its specific gravity is -9896 at 16-5C. ; it boils at 165 

 and distils unchanged. A determination of its vapour-density gave the 

 number 4 -84, the above formula corresponding to two volumes of vapour 

 (H 2 O=2 vols.) requires the number 5 -03. 



Treated with caustic alkaline bases this ether is readily decomposed, even 

 in the cold, yielding methylic alcohol and a leucate of the base. A quan- 

 tity of it was thus decomposed with solution of baryta, the excess of the 

 base being afterwards removed. It yielded on evaporation a crystalline 

 mass very soluble in water, alcohol, and ether, and which, on analysis, 

 yielded results closely corresponding with those calculated from the formula 

 of leucate of baryta. 



When this baryta-salt in aqueous solution is decomposed with the exact 

 amount of sulphuric acid necessary, the liquid filtered off from the sulphate 

 of baryta, and evaporated in vacua, the acid crystallizes magnificently. 

 Professor "W. H. Miller has kindly undertaken the determination of the 

 angles of these crystals. They are readily soluble in ether, alcohol, and 

 water. The acid is greasy to the touch, and nearly inodorous. It sub- 

 limes readily at 50 C., and slowly even at common temperatures, a small 

 quantity of the acid left on a watch-glass gradually disappearing, though 

 in other respects it is permanent when exposed to the air. It fuses 



