paraformaldehyde with a trace of sulphuric acid. 181 
It may also take place by the hydrolysis of two molecules of 
formaldehyde to methyl alcohol and formic acid, (analogous to 
the Cannizzaro reaction in the case of aromatic aldehydes), and 
subsequent esterification in the presence of the sulphuric acid. 
In this case however it would be reasonable to expect that by 
using a larger proportion of acid, the yield of ester would be 
increased, which does not accord with the experiment described 
above. 
__ The higher boiling fraction was found to consist chiefly of a 
liquid boiling at 95—96° C. and which appears to be a polymer 
of formaldehyde. It is still under investigation. Experiments 
with other condensing agents are also being carried on. 
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