ACETIC ACID. 81 



bines with lead chloride, iodide, and bromide, forming 

 easily soluble compounds. 



Copper acetate, (C 2 H 3 2 ) 2 Cu+H 2 0. Dark green, 

 untransparent, rhombohedral crystals. Difficultly solu- 

 ble in water. Crystallizes at a low temperature with 

 5 molecules of water in transparent, blue crystals, which 

 are converted, at 30, into crystalline aggregates of a 

 green salt. Verdigris, a mixture of several basic salts, 

 is obtained by the action of vinegar or acid grape 

 skins on sheet-copper. Blue or bluish-green, fine, crys- 

 talline mass, only partially soluble in water. Copper 

 acetate combines directly with other acetates arid also 

 with salts of other acids. Schweinfurt green is such a 

 compound with copper arsenite. 



Silver acetate, C 2 H 3 2 Ag. Lustrous, pliant needles 

 or laminae, difficultly soluble in water. 



Methyl acetate, C 2 H 3 O.O.CH 3 . Is present in crude 

 wood-spirit ; and is obtained by distilling acetates with 

 methyl alcohol and sulphuric acid. A liquid of plea- 

 sant odor, soluble in water and alcohol ; boiling at 55. 

 Treated with chlorine, there is formed a series of liquid 

 substitution-products, which crystallize with water.* 

 Bromine does not act upon it at ordinary temperatures ; 

 at 150, however, are formed methyl bromide, acetic 

 acid, mono- and dibromacetic acids. Towards sodium 

 it conducts itself the same as the ethyl ether. 



Ethyl acetate (Acetic ether), C 2 H 3 O.O.C 2 H 5 . By 



distilling 10 parts of sodium acetate with a mixture 

 of 15 parts of sulphuric acid, and 6 parts of alcohol. 

 Thin liquid, very pleasant, refreshing odor ; specific grav- 

 ity,0.905at!7;boilsat 72.1; very inflammable. Soluble 

 in 11 parts of water ; is converted, however, by it into 

 acetic acid and alcohol. It conducts itself towards 

 bromine and chlorine the same as the methyl ether. 



* The same compounds are formed by the action of chlorine on citrio 

 acid and several other organic compounds. They were formerly con- 

 sidered as chlorinated acetones. 



