SYNTHETICAL RESEARCHES ON ORGANIC ACIDS. 479 
F iE iE 2. 3. 4. 
Na as ethylearbonate....... .| 56-22| 74:46 | 79-43} 69:38] 76-47 
Na in salts of organic acids ..| 43°78} 25°54] 20-57] 30-62] 23°53 
Na in salts of volatile acids ..| 45°15] 35°38| 41:49] 48-30) 79-81 
Na in salts of fixed acids ....| 54:85] 64:62] 58:51] 51-70] 20-19 
16. Now carbonic acid was passed through the last four bottles for several 
hours and then stopped, the sodium-amalgam continuing to act on the con- 
tents of each*bottle for about two months till it contained no more sodium. 
From the last four columns of the Table we see that thus a much larger 
proportion of sodium is converted into ethylearbonate and a much smaller 
proportion into organic salts. Whence we conclude that the proportion of 
sodium converted into organic salts is much increased by keeping a current 
of carbonic acid constantly passing through the alcohol. 
17. It will be observed that the proportion of the fixed to the volatile 
acids diminishes from the second to the last column. This result is difficult 
to explain; but other observations tend to throw light on the conditions 
which determine the proportion of the fixed to the volatile acids in the 
ultimate product. 
18. The results of the foregoing experiments indicated the possibility of 
converting a still larger proportion of sodium into organic salts. I therefore 
determined to repeat the reaction, taking adyantage of the experience gained 
both during the reaction and the subsequent analytical operations. 
19. Two determinations were made of the percentage of sodium in the 
amalgam used in the reaction to be now described, and to render them as 
accurate as possible much larger quantities of amalgam were analyzed. 
They were made as before, by leaving the amalgam in contact with standard 
sulphuric acid and determining excess of acid by standard caustic soda. 
I. 286-97 grms. amalgam required for neutralization 202-9 cub. centims. 
standard acid, which are equivalent to 4:668 germs. Na. 
Therefore 100 grms. contained 1-626 grm. Na. 
II. 135-05 grms. amalgam required for neutralization 96-1 cub. centims. 
standard acid, which are equivalent to 2-21 grms. Na. 
Therefore 100 grms. contained 1-636 grm. Na. 
The mean of these two closely concordant determinations gives 1:631 as the 
percentage of sodium in the amalgam. 
» 20. 1420°8 grms. of this amalgam were put into a large Woulfe’s bottle, 
and 500 cub. centims. absolute alcohol added. 
Carbonic acid was kept constantly passing through the alcohol for three 
- days, the apparatus being the same as before. 
21. To the product of the reaction in the Woulfe’s bottle 250 cub. centims. 
standard oxalic acid were added, and a rapid current of air blown through 
the liquid, which was then found to be acid, and required for neutralization 
_ 2 cub. centims. standard caustic soda. Hence 248 cub. centims. standard 
acid were equivalent to sodium as ethylcarbonate, which was therefore 
5:70 grms. 
The contents of the bottle were then transferred to a beaker and the amal- 
gam washed with water. Some of the sodium left in the amalgam thus 
