Rkilly & Ralph — The System n-Biityl Alcohol— Acetone— Wafer. 603, 



involving extraction with xylene. It was found, however, using the method 

 of Verley and Bolsing, that a longer period of heating is required before the 

 alcohol is completely esterified if an indifferent solvent be present. In order 

 to aid the extraction of the alcohol, and to reduce the presence of the water 

 ' to a minimum, the addition of a substance such as anhydrous sodium sulphate 

 is advantageous. 



To a known weight of the " n-butyl alcohol, acetone, and water " 

 mixture anhydrous sodium sulphate was added in proportion to the water 

 present (approximately estimated from the density), and the mixture 

 extracted several times with xylene. The hydrocarbon extract was made 

 up to a known volume. A measured amount was heated gently on a 

 sandbath, with an excess of a pyridine solution of acetic anhydride, con- 

 tained in a large flask fitted with a reflux condenser. Two hours' heating 

 is usually sufficient to complete the esterification. The excess of acetic 

 anhydride remaining was estimated in the usual way, and the n-butyl alcohol 

 content ascertained. 



An investigation of the boiling-point of mixtures of these components 

 has been carried out, and it is found that, with the aid of this additional 

 physical constant, it is possible to determine quickly the composition of, 

 mixtures to a fair degree of accuracy without any chemical analysis. Details 

 of this work will be given later. 



Investigation of miscibility limits of the mixture. 



The limits of miscibility of the components of the mixtures of acetone, 

 n-butyl alcohol, and water have also been determined. Acetone and water 

 are miscible in all proportions, as also are acetone and n-butyl alcohol. Water 

 and n-butyl alcohol are only partially miscible, and it was necessary in the 

 first place to determine the miscibility limits of these at 20° C, and then' to 

 ascertain the effects of the addition of acetone to two-layer mixtures of the 

 alcohol and water. 



The miscibility limits of n-butyl alcohol and water were determined in 

 the following manner. A saturated solution of n-butyl alcohol in water was 

 prepared as follows : — A quantity of n-butyl alcohol was mixed with an 

 excess of water in a stoppered separating funnel. This was immersed in a 

 thermostat at 20° C. for several hours, and was frequently shaken. When 

 equilibrium had been attained, portions of the two layer's were removed for 

 density determinations. 



From extrapolation on a previously prepared curve of densities of solutions 

 of n-butyl alcohol in water at 20° C, the amount of n-butyl alcohol present in a 

 saturated solution was found to be 7 - 9 grams to 100 grams of mixture. A 

 n-butyl alcohol-water mixture was therefore prepared containing this amount 



