352 Action of Sulphuretted Hydrogen upon Nitric Acetene. 



ted hydrogen. This was mixed with about two ounces of dilute 

 alcohol and 300 grains of the ether, and the solution being care- 

 fully cooled by ice, a slow current of sulphuretted hydrogen was 



until 



An al- 



coholic solution of the ether was then carefully added to decom- 

 pose the excess of the gas in the solution ; it was then separated 

 from the precipitated sulphur and neutralized by dilute sulphu- 

 ric acid. The liquid gave an abundant yellow crystalline precip- 

 itate with chlorid of platinum and contained a large quantity 

 of sulphate of ammonia, besides which, nothing but the salt of 

 soda could be detected. 

 IV. A dilute solution of hydrosulphuret of ammonia was placed 



in a strong bottle with a well ground stopper, and cooled by a 



bath of ice and water. A small portion of the ether was then 

 added, and the bottle immediately closed. The reaction was 

 violent, and owing to the great volatility of the ether, it was 

 necessary to confine the stopper ; when the action was finished, 

 another portion was introduced, until by successive additions of 

 hydrosulphuret of ammonia, 250 grains were decomposed. The 

 clear liquid was then separated from the precipitated sulphur, 

 neutralized by dilute sulphuric acid, and agitated with oxyd of 

 lead to remove the excess of sulphuretted hydrogen, it was then 

 submitted to distillation in a water-bath until about 200 grains of 

 liquid had passed over. This had the smell and taste of dilute 

 spirit of wine ; when warmed with a mixture of bichromate of 

 potash and sulphuric acid, the latter was readily reduced with the 

 evolution of aldehyde, which was at once recognized by its odor. 

 In this reaction one equivalent of nitric acetene and six of sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen yield one of alcohol, one of ammonia, two of 

 water, and six of sulphur : — 



C 4 H 5 N0 4 +6HS=C, H o +NH,+2H0+6S. 



M 



of M. 



Gerhardt, that nitric acetene is produced by the action of nitric 

 acid upon brucine, we are enabled by this reaction to form alco- 

 hol by a new process, independent of the fermentation of glucose 

 and from a compound much higher in the organic scale. 



The nitric ether of wood-spirit, nitromethol, is also decomposed 

 by hydrosulphuret of ammonia, although less rapidly than the 

 nitric acetene ; crystals of sulphur separate, and the liquid con- 

 tains a volatile compound of a powerfully alliaceous odor, re- 

 sembling that of mercaptan. I have not been able to examine 

 it farther. 



P S. Since the above was written, I have received t ^ e ^ ot T 

 nal de Pharmacie et de Chemie, from which I learn that M- *■>»" 

 Kopp has already investigated the action of sulphuretted hyar 



gen upon nitric acetene, and has arrived at the same result as my 



