50 



MESSES. E. FEA]S'KLAND AJS^D B. F. DUPPA'S 



Treated with alcoholic potash, diethacetic ether is readily decomposed, yielding 

 alcohol and potassium diethacetate. By distilling the latter with dilute sulphuric 

 acid, diethacetic acid passes over and floats on the surface of the water which accom- 

 panies it. This acid reddens litmus-paper powerfully, is but sparingly soluble in 

 water, and emits a peculiar odour quite diiferent from that of caproic acid, with which 

 diethacetic acid is isomeric. Boiled with water and silver carbonate, it yields, on filtra- 

 tion and evaporation in vacuo, splendid feni-like crystals, which, after pressing between 

 folds of blotting-paper and drying in vacuo, with the exclusion of light, are perfectly 

 white, with a satiny lustre ; they possess great elasticity, and are remarkably like 

 asbestos. In a strong light they rapidly become brown. Submitted to analysis, 



•1990 grm. gave •2325 grm. carbonic acid, ^0902 grm. water, and '0980 grm. metallic 

 silver. 



These numbers agree with the formula 



((C2H5)2 



H 



C, 



o 



lOAg 



CalcTilated. 



.A 



Found. 



Barium diethacetate is very soluble in water, and on evaporation forms a beautifully 

 ci-ystalline mass. 



A determination of barium in this salt yielded 38-05 per cent. ; the formula 



f(C2H,), 



C4 



o, 

 o 

 o 



Ba" 



requires 37-33 per cent, of barium. 



Diethacetic acid differs markedly from caproic acid in its odour, as above mentioned, 

 whilst the compounds of the tAvo acids scarcely permit of their being confounded with 

 each other. Thus diethacetic ether differs from caproic ether by 11° in its boiling-point, 

 which is 151° C, the boiling-point of caproic ether being, according to Feiilikg, 162°. 

 In their specific gra-sities also the two ethers appreciably difi'er, caproic ether having a 

 density of -882 at 18° C, whilst the specific gravity of diethacetic ether is -8822 at 0°C. 

 The silver salts differ widely in their crystalline form, solubility in water, and sensitiveness 



