AMIN 



18 



the 



B' 



Benzole = C 12 Hg. Next in order was a very decided heap at 80°-81 

 quantities of the degree-fractions falling off immediately to almost nothing upon 

 either side of the fraction in question. The quantity of liquid in this heap waarathei 

 less than 200 c. c. The odor of this body was that of benzole. When plunged in a 

 mixture of ice and salt, the liquid did not congeal ; but after having been treated with 

 a single portion of monohydrated sulphuric acid, it crystallized at once, almost com- 

 pletely, when immersed in the freezing mixture. When ignited upon a wick, it 

 burned with an exceedingly smoky flame, unlike that of the bodies previously 

 described; when the latter are burning, no such abundant flakes of soot are disen- 

 gaged In the cold it had but little action upon metallic sodium, there ben 

 events, nothing like the action which it exerted thereupon by the C n H n bo 

 hitherto in question. 



An analysis of the product obtained by distillation has already been stated. (See p. 



180, and No. I. below.) Attempts were now made to purify this impure material by 



chemical treatment. In the first place it was treated with the diluted sulphuric acid 



and alkali, and then repeatedly redistilled over sodium. The first portions of the diluted 



acid became very dark-colored, but the fourth and fifth portions exerted but little 



action. For an analysis of the liquid resulting from this purification, see No. II, 

 below. 



Monohydrated sulphuric acid was then resorted to, a portion of the product purified 

 as above being treated therewith. The first portion of this strong acid blackened very 

 much, a thick, viscid matter separated out, while some heat was evolved and a slight 

 odor of sulphurous acid was manifested. The second portion of acid had but little 

 action, and the third and fourth portions hardly became colored. These last portions 

 of acid, however, caused the hydro-carbon itself to became rather dark-colored, though 

 on adding dilute alkali, this color changed to a light-yellow. 



The dark acid liquor resulting from the treatment with concentrated sulphuric acid, 

 on being mixed with water, became turbid, from separation of a sort of tar ; an 

 abundance of sulphurous acid was also evolved on this addition of water, even after 



* 



the acid liquor had stood at rest for a long while. This remark is true as well for all 

 the other bodies which were treated with monohydrated acid, and in no instance did 

 the addition of water to these dark acid liquors give rise to the evolution of agreeable 

 ethereal odors such as were obtained from the product of the action of diluted acid 

 upon the members of the C n H n series. 



After having been dried over chloride of calcium, the purified hydro-carbon was 

 heated in an ordinary retort containing pieces of sodium. After a small quantity 



vol. ix. 28 



