24 ELECTROLYSIS AND ELECTROS YNTHESIS 



of compounds possessing higher molecular weights is 

 required. 



Valeric Acid. Kolbe 1 electrolyzed the potassium 

 salt and obtained as the chief product octane (di- 

 isobutane), 



[J'\CH.CH,.CH..CH/[:{*. 



Besides this there appeared as decomposition prod- 

 ucts water, carbonic acid gas, butylene, and the 

 butyl ester of valeric acid. 



Brester," who performed his experiments under 

 different conditions, obtained at the anode a gaseous 

 mixture of carbon dioxide, butylene, and oxygen. 



Capronic Acid. A concentrated solution of the 

 potassium salt gave decane and traces of the amyl 

 ester of capronic acid, both of which are normal 

 decomposition products. The electrolyses were made 

 by Brazier and Gossleth, 3 by Wurz, 4 and by Rohland. 



(Enanthylic Acid. The normal acid was electro- 

 lyzed by Brazier and Gossleth 6 , under conditions 

 similar to those for capronic acid, and gave two 

 hydrocarbons, C ia H 26 and* C n H 24 , in addition to 

 hydrogen, potassium carbonate and acid potassium 

 carbonate. 



1 Lieb. Ann., 69, 257. 



* Jahresber. f. Chem., 1859, P- 86; ibid., 1866, p. 87. 

 Tommasi, Traite d'Electroch., 1889, p. 757. 

 4 Ibid. 6 Ibid. 



