CHLORIDE OF METHYL. 821 



small portions of sulphur and phosphorus ; it dissolves also 

 many resins, and is used in making spirit varnishes, and 

 mixes with most volatile oils ; its solvent power is indeed very 

 similar to that of alcohol. Wood spirit is acted upon by 

 chlorine, peroxide of manganese and sulphuric acid and by other 

 oxidating agents, like alcohol, yielding analogous products. It 

 is also decomposed by potassium, with disengagement of pure 

 hydrogen. 



Anhydrous barytes is dissolved by pure wood spirit with 

 evolution of much heat, although not dissolved by alcohol, and 

 a compound formed MeO,HO + BaO, which crystallizes in 

 needles of a silky lustre. Wood spirit likewise dissolves 

 lime. 



Chloride of calcium dissolves in wood spirit and crystallizes 

 from a strong solution in large hexagonal tables, which deliquesce 

 in air; they contain 2 atoms of hydrate of oxide of methyl 

 united with 1 atom of chloride of calcium. Dr. Kane recom- 

 mends the decomposition of this salt by heat as the best source 

 of pure wood spirit. 



Chloride of methyl, C 2 H 3 ,C1 = MeCl. This compound is 

 produced by the reaction of hydrochloric acid and hydrate of 

 oxide of methyl upon each other : 



MeO + HO and CLH=MeCl and 2H(X 



But it is best obtained, as are all the halogen compounds of 

 methyl, by distilling neutral sulphate of oxide of methyl with a 

 metallic salt of the proper salt radical, or better a mixture of sul- 

 phuric acid, hydrate of oxide of methyl and the metallic salt. The 

 salt used in the present case is chloride of sodium. Chloride of 

 methyl is a colourless gas of an ethereal odour and sweet taste, of 

 which the density is 1737-8 by experiment, and 1729 by calcula- 

 tion ; the combining measure is 4 volumes. Water dissolves 2.8 

 volumes of this gas at 60.8 (16 centig.) ; it is not liquified by a 

 cold of 0.4 ( 18 centig.) It will be remarked that the 

 chloride and oxide of methyl are both considerably more volatile 

 than the chloride and oxide of ethyl. 



Iodide of methyl, Mel ; a colourless liquid, which burns with 



