314 MESSES. E. FEANKLAND AND B. F. DUPPA'S 



When zincethyl is added to ethylic diethoxalate previously cooled in a freezing-mix- 

 ture, each drop of the zinc compound, as it comes into contact with the ether, hisses like 

 phosphoric anhydride when dropped into water. Torrents of ethylic hydride are evolved, 

 and the mixture finally solidifies to a white tenacious mass which fuses on the appli- 

 cation of heat, and does not distil below 100° C, at about which temperature a violent 

 action sets in ; a great quantity of gas is evolved, and the residue solidifies to a pitchlike 

 mass, which on treatment with water and subsequent distillation yields about one-fourth 

 of the ethylic diethoxalate employed. If the above-mentioned white mass, instead of 

 being heated, be mixed with water, it effervesces strongly, zinc hydrate is formed, and 

 pure ethylic diethoxalate separates in quantity nearly equal to that originally employed. 



In a quantitative experiment 12-93 grms. of zincethyl were treated with ethylic 

 diethoxalate, excess being avoided ; 15'67 grms. of ethylic diethoxalate were required to 

 saturate the above quantity of zincethyl, and the weight of ethylic hydride evolved, 

 which was carefully determined, amounted to 3*08 grms. These numbers closely agree 

 vsdth those deduced from the following equation : — 



|CEt,Ho ^^„ |CEt,(OZn«Et) ^^ 



(COEto ^ ICOEto 



Ethylic Ethylic zincmonethyl 



diethoxalate. diethoxalate. 



as seen from the annexed compaiison : — 



Theoretical. Experimental. 



Ethylic diethoxalate required to decompose] ir-rc icc-r 



•' ^ ( 1&'&& grms. lo'bv grms. 



12-93 grms. of zincethyl ) 



Weight of ethylic hydride evolved . . . 3-04 grms. 3-08 grms. 



Ethylic zincmonethyl diethoxalate is a colourless viscous solid, soluble in ether, but 

 apparently incapable of crystallization. It absorbs oxygen with avidity, and in contact 

 with water effervesces strongly, reproducing ethylic diethoxalate, according to the follow- 

 ing equation : — 



|CEt,(OZn"Et) (CEt,Ho ^^jj ^^„ 



(COEto ^ ICOEto ^ 



Ethylic zincmonethyl Ethylic 



diethoxalate. diethoxalate. 



Ethylic zincmonethyl diethoxalate combines energetically with iodine, an ethereal 

 solution of the latter added to it is almost instantaneously decolorized, and a large quan- 

 tity of ethylic iodide is produced. In continuation of the above quantitative experiment 

 the following results were obtained. 



The product of the action of 12-93 grms. of zincethyl upon 15-67 grms. of ethylic 

 diethoxalate decolorized an ethereal solution containing 23-75 grms. of iodine, the quan- 

 tity required by the foUovdng equation being 25-04 grms. 



