Smith.] | May 4, L877. 
ACTION OF SopIUM AMALGAM UPON C,, Cl,,. 
Ten grammes of the substance were reduced to a powder, placed in a 
small flask, and alcohol then poured in, and the whole heated upon a sand 
bath for four weeks. At the expiration of this time the alcoholic solution 
was poured off from the metallic mercury that had collected upon the bot- 
tom of the flask, and water and hydrochloric acid added to the solution to 
dilute it and neutralize any sodium carbonate that may have formed. 
Upon adding the water I noticed the appearance of oil globules, which 
swam upon the surface of the liquid. 
The solution was placed in a suitable vessel and subjected to distillation 
upon a water bath. In the receiver a rather large quantity of oil collected. 
In the flask, upon examination, I found merely sodium chloride. 
The further addition of water to the liquid in the receiver rendered it 
cloudy, and it was again distilled, but this time over a free flame. The 
alcohol, of course, first passed over, and the addition of water to it pro- 
duced no cloudiness. 
The oil was carried over with the steam and collected to one large 
globule on the bottom of the receiver. 
Soon after all the oil had passed over, I noticed the liquid carried over 
small shining needles. The receiver was immediately changed and the 
distillation continued. Only asmall quantity of this crystallized compound 
was caught. It was exceedingly soluble. It was extracted from its aqueous 
solution with ether and the latter allowed to evaporate. The residue con- 
sisted of fine colorless needles, possessing a rather sharp odor. The com- 
pound fused at about 127° C. With barium carbonate it gave a salt crys- 
tallizing in white needles. Scarcity of material prevented its analysis. 
To extract the oil from the aqueous solution ether was added, and the 
two liquids separated with a separatory funnel. After the evaporation of 
the ether, the oil was treated with calcium chloride, to remove any adherent 
moisture and afterwards dried over sulphuric acid. 
Properties. The oil is perfectly clear. Insoluble in water, but soluble 
in ether. It is with difficulty volatilized. 
The following analyses were made : 
Carbon Determination. 
.1132 Grm. of the oil were placed in a small bulb tube and burned with 
lead chromate, yielding .1603 Grm. CO, = .0483% Carbon = 38.60% : 
further, .0500 water = .0056 H = 4.94% H. 
Upon examining the bulb tube after the combustion, a small quantity 
of undecomposed carbon was noticed. 
Chlorine Determination. 
.0463 Grm. oil ignited with oxide of lime gave .0980 Grm. silver chloride 
— 52.33 % chlorine. 
RESULT. 
C = 38.60% 
Cl = 52.33% 
H = 4.94% 
