1865.] of the Series C n H 2)I+2 . 171 



This ether possesses exactly the same pleasant smell of pears as that of 

 the acetate from hydride of heptyl. The former boils at 178-180, and 

 has the specific gravity 0*8707 at 16 0> 5, whilst the boiling-point of the 

 latter was found as 179-181, and the specific gravity 0'8868 at 19. 



This ether is easily decomposed when heated with a concentrated solu- 

 tion of caustic potash; heptyl- alcohol is formed, which, when dried over 

 chloride of calcium, and treated with a small piece of sodium, in order to 

 remove the last traces of moisture, was found to boil at 163-165. Its 

 odour much resembles that of the hexyl-alcohol, but also reminds one of 

 octyl-alcohol from castor-oil. The specific gravity is 0*8291 at 16*5, 

 whilst that of the hydride alcohol is 0'8479 at 16, and its boiling-point 

 164-165. The odour of the latter is very similar to the alcohol from 

 ethyl-amyl, but less pure, as if the true odour was interfered with by that 

 of some other substance. The alcohol from ethyl-amyl was analyzed with 

 the following results : 



0*2435 substance gave 0*6455 carbonic acid and 0*3075 water. 

 Calculated. Found. 



C 7 84 72-4 72-30 



H 16 16 13-8 14-03 



O 16 13-8 



116 100-0 



Both alcohols dissolve easily in concentrated sulphuric acid : the mixture 

 becomes hot and assumes a dark colour. After standing for some hours, 

 a small quantity of tarry matter separates out on dilution with water, the 

 clear liquid containing a sulpho-acid in solution, together with the excess 

 of sulphuric acid. This mixture was neutralized with carbonate of barium, 

 the liquid filtered, and evaporated to dryness in a water-bath. The dry 

 residue was treated with water, and a barium salt dissolved, which however 

 I did not succeed in obtaining crystallized from either of the alcohols, as the 

 solutions, evaporated both in the water-bath and over sulphuric acid, yielded 

 a thick syrupy liquid, drying slowly to a gum-like mass, in which no 

 crystals could be detected, and which readily formed with the smallest 

 quantity of water and alcohol clear solutions, which again, by spontaneous 

 evaporation, dried into a gum. The smallness of the quantity of alcohol 

 from ethyl-amyl at my disposal has for the present prevented me from 

 repeating the experiment on a larger scale, which doubtless would have 

 given a better result. 



In order to obtain the oxidation products of the two alcohols, they were 

 distilled in a small retort with a mixture of bichromate of potassium and 

 diluted sulphuric acid. A violent reaction occurs at first, which soon 

 diminishes. The distillate was shaken with a solution of carbonate of 

 sodium, and the liquid which did not dissolve treated again several times 

 with the oxidizing mixture, and the distillate after each treatment shaken 

 with the solution of carbonate of sodium. 



o2 ' 



