OF ALIPHATIC COMPOUNDS. 39 



spending symmetrical diethyl-succinic acids, with the 

 melting-points 192 and 130. 



3. Ethyl-potassium dimethyl-malonate gave tetra- 



methyl-succinic acid. 



4. From ethyl-potassium diethyl-malonate a sub- 

 stance of the composition C 14 H 2e O 4 , which differs from 

 the expected tetraethyl-succinic acid by C 2 H 4 , was 

 obtained. The nature of this body has not yet been 

 determined. 



Hydrobromic acid splits off alcohol the compound 

 C ia H ao O,, which has perhaps the furfurane formula 



(C 2 H & ),:C-C:(C a H 6 ),, 



i i 

 O : C C : O 



being formed. 



All these reactions did not take place smoothly, but 

 were accompanied by secondary reactions, principally 

 oxidations, which were limited as much as possible 

 by working with strong concentrated solutions and 

 low temperatures. Moreover, the formation of esters 

 also is always possible according to the equation 



2CH..COO - = CH,COOCH, + CO 3 ; 



and, finally, the formation of unsaturated esters may 

 take place as illustrated in the simplest case: 



