SYNTHETICAL EESEARCHES ON ACIDS OF THE LACTIC SERIES. 32E 



whole of the remaining liquid passed over. Submitted to analysis, this liquid yielded 

 results closely corresponding to the formula 



C; Hi4 O3. 



I. '2324 grm. gave '4903 grm. carbonic anhydride and '2034 grm. water. 

 II. "2534 grm. gave "5354 grm. carbonic anhydride and "2190 grm. water. 



Calculated. Found. 



, A ^ , A . 



( \ ' \ 



I. II. Mean. 



C; . . 84 67-54 57-57 67-62 67-69 



Hi4 . . 14 9-59 9-72 9-60 9-66 



O3 . . 48 32-87 32-76 



146 100-00 100-00 



The decomposition of this ether by baryta described below, proves it to be the 

 methylic ether of an acid of the same composition as diethoxalic acid, with which it 

 also agrees in its fusing-point. The composition of this ether may therefore be thus 



expressed, 



rC Et2 Ho 

 ICOMeo' 



Methylic diethoxalate is a colourless, transparent, and tolerably mobile liquid, possessing 

 a peculiar ethereal odour, only remotely resembling ethylic diethoxalate. It is very 

 sparingly soluble in water, but readily soluble in alcohol or ether. Its specific gravity 

 is -9896 at 16°-6 C. It boils at 165° C, and distils unchanged. A determination of its 

 vapour-density gave the following data : — 



Weight of methylic diethoxalate . . -1968 grm. 



Observed volume of vapour * . . 67-3 cub. centims. 



Temperature of bath 192° C. 



Height of barometer 760 millims. 



Difierence of heights of mercury inside and outside tube . . 68-5 millims. 



Heights of sperm, column reduced to millimetres of mercury . 15-7 millims. 



From these numbers the specific gravity was calculated to be 4-84. The above 

 formula, corresponding to two volumes of vapour, requires the number 5-03. 



Treated with caustic alkaline bases, this ether is readily decomposed even in the cold, 

 yielding methylic alcohol and a diethoxalate of the base. A quantity of it was thus 

 decomposed with solution of baryta, the excess of base being afterwards removed. It 

 yielded on evaporation a crystalline mass very soluble in water, alcohol, or ether, and 

 which on analysis gave results corresponding with those calculated from the formula of 

 baric diethoxalate, 



(CEt^Ho 



^^^^Ba" 



IcEtaHo 



