DEKIVATIVES OF CARBONIC ACID. 223 



mother-of-pearl lustre, which are decomposed by water 

 into alcohol and potassium bicarbonate. 



Ethyl chlorcarbonate, COC1.0.C 2 H 5 . Is produced 

 by bringing carbonyl chloride together with well- 

 cooled absolute alcohol. Colorless liquid of a suffo- 

 cating odor, exciting to tears; specific gravity, 1.13 ; 

 boiling point, 94. Heated with absolute alcohol it 

 yields ethyl carbonate. 



Carbon sulph oxide, COS. Occurs apparently in a 

 number of mineral springs. Is produced when car- 

 bonic oxide and sulphur are conducted together through 

 a red-hot tube ; together with sulphur and sulphurous 

 anhydride, by the action of sulphuric anhydride on 

 carbon bisulphide, slowly at the ordinary temperature, 

 quickly by heating ; together with ethylamine, allyl- 

 amine, etc., by shaking the mustard-oils with concen- 

 trated sulphuric acid; by heating carbon bisulphide 

 with urea, oxamide, or acetamide; by conducting dry 

 sulphuretted hydrogen into ethyl cyanate ; by heating 

 thiacetic acid to 300. Can be obtained most readily 

 by pouring moderately concentrated sulphuric acid on 

 potassium sulph ocyanate. Colorless, easily inflamma- 

 ble gas, of peculiar odor. Yields an explosive gas- 

 mixture with oxygen. Water absorbs about an equal 

 volume of the gas ; alkalies absorb it easily, forming 

 sulphides and carbonates. At a red heat it is partially 

 decomposed, yielding carbonic oxide and sulphur. 



Carbon bisulphide, CS 2 . Is formed by direct com- 

 bination of carbon and sulphur at a high temperature. 

 Colorless, strongly refracting liquid. In a pure state 

 (obtained by shaking the commercial substance with 

 metallic mercury or mercury chloride, and then recti- 

 fying) it has a pleasant ethereal odor; boiling point, 

 47 ; specific gravity, 1.27 ; easily inflammable, but 

 sparingly soluble in water; mixes with alcohol and 

 ether in all proportions. Excellent solvent for many 

 substances, for example iodine, phosphorus, sulphur, 



