370 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 



the agency of the sulphuric acid used in the process. 

 It will be observed that the radical ethyl, which has re- 

 mained permanent in the changes before described, is 

 here destroyed, by the abstraction of a part of its hy- 

 drogen. 



What is aide- 931. CONVERSION OF ALCOHOL INTO ALDE- 



hyde? HYDE. Aldehyde is a clear colorless liquid 



of a peculiar ethereal odor, produced by the action of 

 the air or oxygen on alcohol. It is the product of a 

 partial, slow combustion, or ereme- 

 causis of the alcohol, and forms the 

 middle point in the conversion of 

 alcohol into vinegar. It is for this 

 reason that it is here introduced. 



932. The two atoms of hydrogen, 



How is alcohol , . .. , , . 



converted into which are burned out m the process, are 

 aldehyde ? indicated in the figure by smaller inscribed 

 letters. By the removal, the radical ethyl is converted 

 into the radical acetyl. Aldehyde is therefore a hy- 

 drated oxide of acetyl. The characteristic odor of the 

 substance is often perceived, in the process for making 

 vinegar. It may also be produced by depressing a wire 

 gauze upon an alcohol flame, and thereby making the 

 combustion incomplete. 



933. CONVERSION OF ALCOHOL INTO VIN- 



ZSZZ&f If dll te alcoho1 ; s exposed to the 

 alcohol into a i r? it is converted, by oxidation, into ace- 

 tic acid. Part of its hydrogen having been 

 burned out to form aldehyde, the oxy- 

 gen acts further to oxidize the alde- 

 hyde which has been produced. The 

 composition of each molecule is such 



