SYNTHETICAL KESEAECHES ON ACIDS OF THE LACTIC SEEIES. 



357 



Simethoxalic acid. 



Methacrylic acid. 



If methacrylic acid be now heated with potash, the acid molecule breaks up at the 

 place indicated by the dotted line, with the production of propionic and formic acids : 



rCMeMe" „ fCMeH, 



fUM 

 tcOHo 



Methacrylic 

 acid. 



+^^^HcOK: + {COKO+H: 



'Ko 



Potassio 

 propionate. 



H 

 OKo 



Potassic 

 formate. 



Propionic acid. 



Formic acid. 



Thus one of the atoms of methyl originally introduced into oxalic acid is now 

 extracted in the shape of its well-known derivative, formic acid. We have proved by 



synthesis that propionic acid is methacetic acid, < 2. \)^^ [^ gtin remains to 



extract this second atom of methyl from it. For this purpose we might transform the 

 propionic acid into chloropropionic acid, and the latter into ethylic lactate, by well-known 

 processes, when, by repeating the reactions with phosphorous chloride and caustic potash 

 above described, the second atom of methyl, like the first, ought to be eliminated as 

 formic acid ; but unfortunately the reaction with tcrchloride of phosphorus, although 

 so easy with a secondary acid, fails when applied to a normal acid of the lactic series, 

 and we are therefore driven to seek other means of obtaining the end in view. It is, 

 however, only necessary to avail ourselves of the beautiful reactions of Kolbe* in order 

 to extract the remaining atom of methyl in its integral form. Thus if the lactic acid, 

 derived as above described, be submitted to the action of electrolytic oxygen, it is trans- 



MDCCCLXVI. 



• Ann. der Chem. und Pharm. Bd. cxiii. 8. 244. 



3c 



