646 REPOiiT— 1887. 



Methylene red is instanlaneouslv destroyed by alkalis. Amongst the products 

 of reaction an acid is found showing the formula CglljoNoSjOj, and formed from 

 the red by adding water and one atom of oxygen. The constitution of this acid 

 proved to be as follows : 



-Nil, 



^S - SO3H 



and it can easily be converted into the mercaptane and vice versa. 



From these and other flicts not yet published the author concludes that 

 methylene red is represented by the formula 



N(CII„).,C1 



C,H3^N] 



C,H3^N 



> 



7. On some Xenoene or Diphenyl Products avd Headions. 

 By Professor W. Odling, M.A., F.E.S., and J. E. Marsh, B.A. 



Reference was made to Dr. Odling's paper of last year, when an analogy was 

 presented between benzoic or phenyl formic acid and phenyl sulphonic acid. 

 Benzoic acid decomposes on hydrolysis into phenoene or benzene and carbonic 

 acid, phenjl sulphonic acid into phenoene and sulphuric acid. On fusion with 

 potash phenyl sulphonic acid yields phenol, while benzoic acid yields a little 

 phenol, but chiefly by a further action of carboxylation phenol formic or benzoic 

 acid. The view that oxibenzoic acid owes its origin to a carboxylation of already 

 formed phenol was upheld by the formation also of oxiicophthalic acid. 



Some further decompositions of aromatic acids on hydrolysis were described. 

 The hydrolysing agent is a mixture of zine chloride and water, or stannic chloride 

 hydrochloric acid and water. The reaction is conducted in sealed tins at a tem- 

 perature of about 300°. In this way benzoic acid gives carbonic acid and phenoene, 

 a little xenoene or dephenyl being also formed. 



Phthalic acid gives carbonic acid, phenoene, and benzoic acid. 



Paramido-benzoic acid gives carbonic acid and aniline. 



Pure nitro-benzoic acid gives carbonic acid, and not uitro-benzene, but aniline. 

 Nitro-benzene was also found to yield aniline and carbonic acid. 



Several other aromatic acids were found to undergo a similar reaction of hydrolysis. 



Ethyl benzoate treated with alcoholic zinc chloride was found to undergo 

 decomposition into carbonic acid and probably a mixture of hydrocarbon. 



An extended account was given of the action of fused potash on benzoic acid, 

 e.specially as to the method employed in separating the crude acids formed. The 

 method depends essentially on converting the acids into compound ethers and 

 distilling the latter under reduced pressure. In this way besides the two xenyl 

 formic acids obtained hj Barth and Schuder a new- xenyleue ditbrmic acid or 

 diphenvl dicarbonic acid was obtained. 



Certain derivatives of the hydrocarbon xenoene or diphenyl were considered and 

 described. 



^4ce^o?ie«wie, previously obtained by .-^ dam, melting at 120-121° is found to 

 yield on oxidation paraxenyl formic acid, and is therefore it.self a para compound. 



Benzonenone is obtained by the action of benzoyl chloride with aluminium 

 chloride on xenoene in petroleum spirit. It is the phenyl xenyl katom, and it 

 melts at 99° C. 



An account was given of a ready method of obtaining the monosulphonic acid of 

 xenoene, namely, by dissolving the hj'drocarbon in chloroform and adding a slight 

 excess of sulphuryl chlorhj-drate. 



8. On the Bate of YeJocity of Formation of Acetic Ether. 



By Professor Menschutkin. 



