322 SUBSTANCES POUND TO POSSESS 



and caproic acid, and with acetic acid, &c., water 

 being separated, and compounds of butyric, caproic, 

 and acetic oxide of amyl are formed, which, to a 

 certain amount, are found in wine. 



Most of these salts of oxide of amyl are odoriferous 

 liquids. We mentioned acetic amyl ether (p. 303), 

 but many others appear in different wines. 



Hydrated oxide of amyl may also be formed from 

 alcohol. 



;er 



5 equiv. alcohol .... 



2 hydrated oxide of amyl . C 20 H 24 O 4 



6 , water ... H 6 O 6 





I must observe here that the compounds ol 

 oxide of amyl in wine never preponderate over the 

 compounds of ethyl ; that in wines containing free 

 tartaric acid, amyl compounds appear in but small 

 proportion, while alkaline and neutral solutions give 

 rise to hydrated oxide of amyl, and its formation is 

 stopped by the addition of tartaric acid to fluids 

 in which it would otherwise be produced in great 

 abundance. 



The following formulae deserve notice. Hydrated 

 oxide of ethyl, of propylene, of butyl, and of amyl, 

 may be formed thus 



2 equiv. sngar .... C 24 H 24 O 24 



Hydrated oxide of amyl . . O 10 H 12 O'^ 



of propylene . . C 6 H 8 O 8 



Carbonic acid C 8 O 16 



Water .... H 4 O 4 



