OF ALIPHATIC COMPOUNDS. 2J 



The neutral sodium salt gave the same products, as 

 did also the alkaline solution of this salt, except that 

 in the latter experiment the formation of carbon 

 monoxide predominated. If, however, four molecular 

 equivalents of sodium succinate were treated with one 

 equivalent of sodium hydroxide, ethylene and a little 

 acetylene could also be detected. Kolbe 1 states that 

 methyl oxide is also formed ; Bourgoin, however, was 

 unable to confirm this statement. 



Glutaric Acid. The results which Reboul and 

 Bourgoin 2 obtained with this acid are the following: 



The greater part of the acid remains unchanged, 

 while a small part only is decomposed according to 

 the equation 



C.H.O. + 70 = 2CO, + 3 CO + 4 H.O. 



A hydrocarbon of the composition 



was not formed. 



Similar observations were made in the electrolysis 

 of potassium glutarate, likewise in alkaline solution. 



Pyrotartaric Acid. The investigators just men- 

 tioned, on electrolyzing a solution of the neutral 

 potassium salt, observed the immediate precipitation 



1 Lieb. Ann., 113, 244. 

 1 Comp. rend., 84, 1231. 



