BROMAL. 71)1 



Bromal, C 4 Br 3 O + HO. This compound, which corresponds 

 with chloral, was formed by M. Lcewig by adding 13.8 parts of 

 bromine to 1 part of alcohol cooled by ice, adding the former 

 in small portions, taking care that the part previously added 

 had first disappeared. It is purified in the same manner as 

 chloral. Bromal is a colourless oily liquid of a peculiar and 

 very strong odour which provokes tears, and of a caustic taste. 

 Its density is 3.34, and boiling point below 212. Bromal is 

 miscible with water, alcohol and ether. Caustic alkalies trans- 

 form it into an alkaline formiate and perbromide of formyl. 

 Its solution affords by evaporation a crystalline hydrate, con- 

 taining 4 atoms of water, consequently 2 atoms more than the 

 hydrate of chloral. 



Brominated ether. Lcewig has observed, that bromine in 

 acting upon ether, produces a body analogous to heavy chlori- 

 nated ether, but respecting the composition of which there is 

 the same uncertainty. 



lodal. An oleaginous liquid which corresponded in some 

 properties with chloral, was obtained by M. Aime, by the 

 action of 4 parts of alcohol, one part of iodine, and one part of 

 fuming nitric acid, left in contact in a bottle imperfectly closed ; 

 but its composition was not ascertained. Mr. Johnston had 

 previously obtained some peculiar substances by a similar re- 

 action. 



Chloride of cyanogen upon alcohol. A slightly volatile cry- 

 stalline matter is produced, when a mixture of alcohol and very 

 concentrated hydrocyanic acid, or a mixture of alcohol and a 

 metallic cyanide soluble in alcohol, is saturated with dry chlo- 

 rine. This crystalline substance has a silky lustre, and consi- 

 derably resembles sulphate of quinine. It fuses at 248, sub- 

 liming in part. Its empyrical formula is C 16 H 14 O 8 C1 2 N 2 , 

 corresponding with 3 atoms of aldehyde 3(C 4 H 4 O 2 ), 2 atoms 

 of chlorine C1 2 , 2 atoms of cyanogen N 2 C 4 , and 2 atoms of 

 water H 2 O 2 . (Stenhouse). 



SECTION V . 

 CONGENERS OF ALCOHOL OF AN UNCERTAIN CONSTITUTION. 



Hydruret of acetyl, olefiant gas, etherine, elayl (Berzelius) ; 

 C 4 H 4 = C 4 H 3 , H or AcH. This gas is generally prepared by 



