ETHERS. 343 



Acetic ether, JEther aceticus, C 2 H 5 C 2 H 3 O 2 = 88 (Ethyl acetate). 

 Made by mixing dried sodium acetate with alcohol and sulphuric 

 acid, distilling and purifying the crude product by shaking with 

 calcium chloride and rectifying : 



C 2 H 5 OH + NaC 2 H 3 2 + H 2 SO 4 = C 2 H 5 C 2 H 3 O 2 + NaHSO 4 + H 2 O. 

 Ethyl Sodium Acetic ether. Sodium acid 



alcohol. acetate. sulphate. 



Experiment 50. Add to a mixture of 40 grammes of pure alcohol and 100 

 grammes of concentrated sulphuric acid 60 grammes of sodium acetate. In- 

 troduce this mixture into a boiling-flask, connect it with a Liebig's condenser 

 and distil about 50 c. c. Redistil the liquid from a flask, as represented in Fig. 

 39, page 298, and collect the portion which passes over at a temperature of 

 IT C. (170 F.) ; it is nearly pure ethyl acetate. 



Acetic ether is a colorless, neutral, and mobile liquid, of a strong 

 ethereal and somewhat acetous odor, soluble in alcohol, ether, chloro- 

 form, etc., in all proportions, and in 17 parts of water. Specific 

 gravity 0.894. Boiling-point 76 C. (169 F.) 



Ethyl nitrite, C 2 H 5 NO 2 (Nitrous ether). Made by distilling a mix- 

 ture of alcohol, sulphuric acid, and sodium nitrite : 



C 2 H 5 OH + NaN0 2 + H 2 SO 4 = C 2 H 5 NO 2 + NaHSO 4 + H 2 O 



The distillate, which contains, besides ethyl nitrite, some alcohol 

 and often some decomposition products, is washed with ice-cold water, 

 in which ethyl nitrite is nearly insoluble, and with sodium carbonate 

 to remove traces of acid ; finally, it is freed from water by treatment 

 with anhydrous potassium carbonate. 



Spirit of nitrous ether, Spiritus cetheris nitrosi, Sweet spirit of nitre. 



This is a mixture of about 4 parts of ethyl nitrite with 96 parts 

 of alcohol. It is a clear, mobile, volatile, and inflammable liquid, of 

 a pale straw color inclining slightly to green, a fragrant, ethereal 

 odor, and a sharp, burning taste. It is neutral, or but very slightly 

 acid to litmus paper but evolves no carbon dioxide with potassium 

 bicarbonate. 



Amyl nitrite, Amyl nitris, C 5 H U NO 2 = 117. Made by a process 

 analogous to the one mentioned above for ethyl nitrite, substituting 

 amyl alcohol for ethyl alcohol. 



The official amyl nitrite contains of this ether about 80 per cent, 

 together with variable quantities of undetermined compounds; it 

 is a clear, pale-yellowish liquid, of an ethereal, fruity odor, an 

 aromatic taste, and a neutral or slightly acid reaction. Specific 

 gravity 0.872. Boiling-point 96 C. (205 F.). 



