OF ALIPHATIC COMPOUNDS. 31 



for some time the acetylene was found to be mixed 

 with oxygen. 



EXPERIMENTS OF MILLER AND HoFER. 1 



I. The investigations carried out by Miller and 

 Hofer are improvements over those previously made, 

 since they give a much clearer insight into the process 

 of the decomposition. In the method which was 

 employed, namely, that of allowing the solutions to 

 slowly flow over the electrodes, the compounds first 

 formed were removed from the region of electrolytic 

 action. 



In this way it was possible to isolate certain sub- 

 stances which would otherwise have undergone 

 secondary decomposition. In the researches cited 

 below, however, accurate data concerning current 

 relations are lacking. Classen 3 has accurately ex- 

 plained what data are necessary for repeating an elec- 

 trolytic experiment. 



Glycolic Acid. The concentrated solution of the 

 sodium salt yielded at the positive pole formaldehyde 

 in large quantities and some formic acid, the latter 

 breaking up from the action of the current into carbon 

 monoxide and dioxide. 



1 Chem. Ber., 27, 461. 



* Classen, " Quan. Analysis by Electrolysis," page 23. 



