SYNTHETICAL EESEAKCHES ON ETHEES. 



57 



Difference of heights of mercury inside and outside of tube 83-5 millims. 

 Height of spermaceti column reduced to miUims. of mercmy 15-7 millims. 



We give below our reasons for concluding that methylated acetone is identical with 

 the ethyl-acetyl described by Feeund *, and obtained by acting upon acetyl chloride with 

 zinc ethide. 



Methylated acetone forms a splendidly crystalline compound with sodium bisulphite, 

 and in its other chemical properties so closely resembles ethylated acetone as to require 

 no further description. It retains alcohol with such tenacity as to render its separation 

 from that [liquid, by washing and treatment with calcium chloride, almost impossible. 

 This separation, however, is readily effected by the action of sodium bisulphite. 



We reserve for a future communication the description of the products derived from 

 the replacement of hydrogen, in the methyl of acetic ether, by methyl ; but we may 

 mention before leaving the reaction now under consideration, that we have obtained an 

 ether isomeric with butyric ether, the formation of which is explained in the following 

 equations : — 



rH,_ 



CJO 



[0C2H5 



Y 



Acetic ether. 



Disodacetic ether. 



""Nag 



h" 



O 



Loc,H, 



+2CH3l=Q 



(CH3)2 

 H 



O 



LOC2H5 



+2NaL 



Disodacetic ether. Dimethacetic ether. 



By acting upon this ether with alcoholic potash it is decomposed, yielding alcohol 

 and potassium dimethacetate. On distilling the latter with dilute sulphuric acid, dimeth- 

 acetic acid, isomeric with butyric acid, is obtained as an oily liquid tolerably soluble in 

 water. Treated with silver carbonate, it readily gave a crystalline silver-salt, which after 

 being well-washed with water and then dried in vacuo, yielded the following results on 

 analysis : — 



I. -3920 grm. gave -3505 grm. carbonic acid, -1287 grm. water, and -2172 grm. 

 metallic silver. 



II. -3837 grm. gave -3399 grm. carbonic acid, '1246 grm. water, and -2135 grm, 

 metallic silver. 



These numbers agree well with the formula of silver dimethacetate. 



r(CH,), 



loAg. 



* Ann. der Ch. und Phann. Bd. cxviii. s. 1. 



