RELATIONS TO OTHER SCIENCES 283 



It may be added that Rosenheim from a comparison of compounds 

 of acetic acid and its esters with metal chlorides arrived by a different 

 way at the conclusion that acetic acid must form oxonium salts. 

 Euler has also decided that acetic acid must have some basic func- 

 tions. Applying again this conception and the laws of equilibrium to 

 the study of the velocity of esterification, we find the velocity, in the 

 absence of any acid, in the same way as was used,above, 



y est = fc e8t X (Posit. Acetate Ion) X (CH 3 OH) 



= fc egt X *^- e X (Acet. Acid) X (H) X (CH.OH) 

 K. 



In the presence of acid: 



= *est X X (Acet. Acid) X (H') X (CH 3 OH) 



We find again that the change in the velocity of esterification de- 

 manded by the application of this theory is simply proportionate to 

 the change in concentration of the hydrogen ions which agrees 

 with experience. 



When equilibrium is established between the two reversible reac- 

 tions in the absence of hydrochloric acid we have 



V = V or 

 ' sap ' est> u 



*W X ^ X (Ester) X (H,O) X (H) - 



fc est X ?-^ X (Acet. Acid) X (CH 3 OH) X (H) 

 K 



An inspection of the equations shows that we also have then : 



*sap(HCl) = ^est(HCl) 



since according to the equation just given 



*sap X ~^ X (Ester) X (HO X (H,O) 



jrf 



must equal fc est X ^X (Acet. Acid) X (CH 3 OH) X (HO 

 K. 



In other words the addition of the catalyzing acid will not affect the 

 ultimate condition of equilibrium between ester, water, acid, and 

 alcohol. 



We find thus the theory that acids may act as catalytic agents 

 simply through salt or ion formation, as proved by the experiments 

 with the imido-esters and the rearranging amino carbonates, leads by 

 the rigorous application of our laws of dynamics also directly to the 

 very facts in regard to the catalysis of methyl acetate which have long 

 been known as vital results of experimental observation. The three 

 important characteristic features of the catalysis a velocity pro- 



