Chemistry and Physics. 421 
and decomposed by a gentle heat. The author regards this compound 
as homologous with Redtenbacher’s bisulphite of aldebyd-ammonia, and 
as having the formula C,,H,,0,, NH, 2: Indications of the 
existence of a homologue of thialdin were also obtained.—Journal Sir 
praktische Chemie, 1851. |, 43, 
Theory of the formation of Ether.—At the late meeting of the 
British Association at Edinburgh, a paper was read by A. Williamson 
upon this subject which deserves particular attention. When the com- 
pound of ether and potash, C,H,O-+KO, obtained by treating abso- 
lute alcohol with potassium is gently warmed with iodid of ethyl, iodid 
of potassium and ether are formed, the reaction being represented by 
the equation, 
C,H,O, KO+C,H,I=KI+2C,H,0. 
If in place of iodid of ethyl, iodid of methyl be employed, a similar 
reaction takes place and a liquid is obtained having the empirica, or- 
mula, C,H,O,: iodid of amyl in like manner yields a new liquid 
boiling at 110° C., and represented by the formula C,,H,, > Wil- 
liamson considers these new liquids as alcohols and employing Ger- 
hardt’s notation, represents the former by C,H,O, the latter by 
7H,,0. The formation of common ether in the reaction given 
above he explains by supposing that the true formula of wine alcohol 
isC, y° O» of its potash compound C, ee O, and that ether results 
upon alcohol. In order to do this it is in the first place assumed that 
the formation of sulpho-vinic acid, C,H,0. SO,+-HO. SO,, always 
precedes that of ether and that sulpho-vinic acid is formed by the re- 
placement of one atom of hydrogen in PuRbANS acid by arr age of 
ethyl; in the author’s notation, SO, HC H O=S0, Coy +77°- 
‘s 5 
The formation of ether then ensues simply by the substitution of one 
atom of ethyl for one of hydrogen precisely as in the case e pot- 
- ash compound above mentioned, we have namely the equation 
ue H H 56 
Cc so HH’ * 
2H. 4 H 
H 
| yg, 1 baie 1 
sulphuric acid thus set free acts upon a new. ‘portion of alcohol 
1 sulpho-vinic acid and thus the process is continuous. The 
+ formation of ether by the action of chlorid of zinc upon alcohol may 
for 
a * 
” 
: 
+ 
‘a 
Le 
