826 FORMYL. 



Formic acid therefore contains a radical, which is named 

 formyl, and to which it has the same relation as acetic acid has 

 to acetyl : 



Acetic acid. . . . C 4 H 3 + O 3 . 

 Formic acid. . . C 2 H + O 3 . 



Formyl therefore differs from methyl in containing 2 atoms 

 less of hydrogen, and as ethyl may be viewed as a compound of 

 acetyl + 2 atoms of hydrogen, so methyl maybe viewed as a 

 compound of formyl + 2 atoms of hydrogen. 



SECTION II. 

 FORMYL SERIES OF COMPOUNDS. 



Formyl, C 2 H=Fo. 



The series of formyl is less numerous than that of acetyl. 

 The compounds of the former corresponding to aldehyde and 

 aldehydic acid are deficient, formic acid being the only known 

 oxide of formyl. 



The following are the derivatives of formyl : 



C 2 HO. .... Oxide of formyl (unknown). 



C 2 HO + HO. . . Substance contained in formomethylal. 



C 2 HO 3 . . . . Anhydrous formic acid. 



C 2 HO 3 + HO. . Hydrated formic acid. 



C 2 HC1 3 . . . . Perchloride of formyl (chloroform) . 



C 2 HBr 3 . . . . Perbromide of formyl. 



C 2 HI 3 Periodide of formyl. 



COMPOUND OF HYDRATE OF OXIDE OF FORMYL WITH OXIDE OF 

 METHYL, OR METHYLAL. 



Syn. Formomethylal (Kane) C 6 H 8 O 4 (Malaguti). 



By distilling 2 parts of wood spirit with 3 parts of sulphuric 

 acid diluted with 3 parts of water, and 2 parts of peroxide of 

 manganese, Dr. Kane obtained a substance mixed with several 

 other bodies, which he named formomethylal. It was con- 

 sidered a tribasic formiate of oxide of methyl, but was after- 



