798 ACETONE. 



and a black flocculent powder is precipitated, which is explosive 

 by heat. Zeise has named it pyracechlorplatin. 



Sulphomesitilic acid. By the action of fuming sulphuric acid 

 upon acetone there is produced among other products, an acid 

 of which the salt of lime is expressed by : 



CaO, C 3 H 3 O + SO 3 . 



This salt loses the elements of half an atom of water by heat. 

 Its acid does not correspond with sulphovinic acid as the satu- 

 rating power of the sulphuric acid in the former is not injured 

 by the acetone, while it is diminished one half by the oxide of 

 ethyl in the latter. Nor can acetone be reproduced from 

 sulpho-mesitylic acid by any means. Acetone likewise affords 

 no peculiar acid by its oxidation, as alcohol does acetic acid. 

 Hence acetone is deficient in what are now considered the three 

 most essential characters of an alcohol. 



When 2 measures of acetone are mixed with 1 measure of 

 hydrate of sulphuric acid, and the liquid diluted with water and 

 neutralised with lime, a new salt is obtained analogous to the 

 former, but containing twice as much acetone : 



CaO, C 6 H 6 2 +S0 3 . 



The acid of these salts undergoes decomposition when deprived 

 of its base by sulphuric acid, and evaporated. 



By the action of nitric acid upon acetone Dr. Kane obtained 

 the two following bodies, the composition of which, however, 

 is somewhat doubtful : 



Nitrite of oxide of pteleyl . . . C 3 H 3 O+NO 3 ; 

 Mesitic aldehyde C 3 H 3 O 2 . 



By the action of phosphoric acid and of phosphorus with 

 iodine, two acids were also obtained : phosphomesitylic acid and 

 hyphosphomesitylous acid, the formula of the salt of barytes of 

 the latter being, Ba O, C 6 H 6 O 3 P. 



Mesitic chloral, C 6 H 4 C1 2 O 2 (Dumas, Kane). Obtained by 

 passing dry chlorine through acetone, till the disengagement of 

 hydrochloric acid ceases. It is a liquid of a penetrating insup- 

 portable odour, insoluble in water; density 1.33, and boiling 

 point 258.8 (126 centig.) 



