SYNTHETICAL EESEAECHES ON ETHEKS. 55 



We have mentioned above that the ethereal liquid from vehich ethylic dimethacetone 

 carbonate was obtained by ebullition with aqueous potash, contained another body pro- 

 bably homologous with ethylic ethacetone carbonate. The following analyses of the 

 ethereal liquid before ebullition with aqueous potash indicate the presence of this body, 

 which may be appropriately named ethylic methacetone carbonate. These analyses were 

 made with the products of several distinct operations. 



I. -4248 grm. gave -9289 grm. carbonic acid and -3316 grm. water. 



II. "3008 grm. gave '6580 grm. carbonic acid and -2364 grm. water. 



III. -2644 grm. gave '5774 grm. carbonic acid and '2104 grm. water. 



The following are the percentage results of these analyses: — 



I. II. ni. Mean. 



C . . 59-64 59-66 59-56 59-62 



H . . 8-67 8-73 8-84 8-75 



These numbers coincide very closely with those that would be obtained by the analysis 

 of a mixture of equal weights of ethylic dimethacetone carbonate (Cg ^14 O3) and ethylic 

 methacetone carbonate (C; Hj2 O3), viz., 



C . . . 59-54 

 H . . . 8-60 



All attempts to separate these two liquids by fractional distillation failed, owing to the 

 close approximation, if not absolute identity, of their boiling-points. In one operation, 

 however, where the action of sodium upon the acetic ether had not been pushed so far, 

 we obtained a product which consisted almost entirely of ethylic methacetone carbonate, 

 as is seen from the following analysis : — 



•2624 grm. gave -5637 grm. carbonic acid and -2017 grm. water, numbers which 

 approach closely to the formula of ethylic methacetone carbonate. 



Finding that this body had been already obtained in a state of perfect purity by 

 Geuther*, we did not make any further attempts to separate it more completely from 

 ethylic dimethacetone carbonate, especially as its presence in the mixtures above ana- 



* Giittiug. Anzeigcii, 18(53, p. 281 ; and Jahrcsbericht dor Chemic, 18G3, p. 323. 



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