ORGANIC ACIDS. 87 



Bromide of ethyl — Hydrdbromic etJver ; — a very volatile liquid, 

 heavier than water, — of a penetrating odour and taste. 



Iodide of ethyl, Hydriodic ether; — very closely resembles the last. 

 Sulphuret of ethyl; — a colourless liquid, of a disagreeable alliacious 

 odour; boils at 163°. 



Cyanide of ethyl — resembles the last. 



Sulphate of oxide of etliy I — Sulj^hovinic acid, C*H^O, 2SO3-I-HO. 

 — Sulphuric acid forms no neutral compound with the oxide of ethyl. 

 Sulphovinic acid is the acid sulphate of ethyl. It is formed by the 

 action of strong sulphuric acid in alcohol, as in the preparation of 

 ether ; on cooling, it is diluted with water, and neutralized with chalk, 

 which throws down sulphate of lime ; the sidphovinate of lime is 

 afterwards deposited in crystals : from this, sulphovinic acid may be 

 obtained by the action of dilute sulphuric acid. It is a sour liquid, 

 very apt to be decomposed into alcohol and sulphuric acid ; forms 

 sulphovinates with bases, which are soluble. 



Phosphate of oxide of ethyl, or Fhosphovinic acid, is a compound 

 very analogous to the foregoing. 



Nitrate of oxide of ethyl. Nitric ether. — This compound has only 

 lately been prepared. It is formed by the action of nitric acid on 

 alcohol, with the addition of urea; the latter substance being requi- 

 site, to prevent the formation of hyponitrous ether. It has a density 

 of 1-112 ; — is insoluble in water ; — has an agreeable sweet taste. 



Hyponitrite of tJie oxide of ethyl, Hijponitrous ether. Nitrous 

 ether. — This is best prepared, according to Liebig, by the action of 

 hyponitrous acid, derived from nitric acid on starch, on alcohol, and 

 condensing the product. A better method — that of Dr. Hare — is to 

 act upon hyponitrite of soda by sulphuric acid and alcohol ; the pro- 

 cess being conducted in a refrigerated receiver. It is a pale, yellow 

 liquid, very volatile, possessing an exceedingly agreeable odour and 

 taste ; boils at 62° ; sp. gr. -947. It is the active principle of 

 siveet sjnrits of nitre, which consist of hyponitrous ether dissolved 

 in alcohol. 



In the same way we have Carbonic Ether, Oxalic Bllver^ Acetic 

 Ether, Formic Ether, ^"C, <^, 



SECTION VI. 



ORGANIC ACIDS. 



Acetic acid, C^H^O^+HO. — The hypothetical organic radical of 

 this acid is Acetyl, C^H" ; its hydrated protoxide is named Aldehyde, 

 C*H^04-H0 ; and its hydrated peroxide. Acetic acid. 



Aldehyde is a clear, colourless liquid, of an etherial odour ; has a 

 density of -790, and boils at 72°. 



Acetic acidic formed in two ways: by the oxidation of alcohol, 



