Per chlorate of the Oxide of Ethule, (^c. 65 



of ether remaining at the bottom of the filter may be exploded, 

 either by approaching it to an ignited body, or by the blow of a 

 hammer. We are induced to believe that, in explosive violence, 

 it is not surpassed by any substance known in chemistry. By 

 the explosion of the smallest drop, an open porcelain plate will 

 be broken into fragments, and by that of a larger quantity, be 

 reduced to powder. In consequence of the force with which it 

 projects the minute fragments of any containing vessel in which 

 it explodes, it Ite necessary that the operator should wear gloves, 

 and a close mask, furnished with thick glass-plates at the aper- 

 tures for the eyes, and perform his manipulations with the inter- 

 vention of a movable wooden screen.* 



In common with other ethers, the perchlorate of ethule is in- 

 soluble in water, but soluble in alcohol; and its solution in the 

 latter, when sufficiently dilute, burns entirely away without ex- 

 plosion. It may be kept for a length of time unchanged, even 

 when in contact with water; but the addition of this fluid, when 

 employed to precipitate it from its alcoholic solution, causes it 

 to be partially decomposed. Potassa, dissolved in alcohol, and 

 added to the alcoholic solution, produces, immediately, an abun- 

 dant precipitate of the perchlorate of that base, and, when added 

 in sufficient quantity, decomposes the ether entirely. It would 

 appear, therefore, impracticable, to form either perchlorovinates or 

 perchlorovinic acid. 



We have subjected the perchlorate of ethule to the heat of 

 boiling water without explosion or ebullition. 



It may be observed that this is the first ether formed by the 

 combination of an inorganic acid containing more than three 

 atoms of oxygen with the oxide of ethule, and that the chlorine 

 and oxygen in the whole compound are just sufficient to form 

 chlorohydric acid, water and carbonic oxide with the hydrogen 

 and carbon. 



The existence of a compound of the oxide of ethule with an 

 acid containing seven atoms of oxygen, led us to attempt to com- 

 bine, by the same method, this base with nitric acid. For this 

 purpose we subjected a mixture of sulphovinate and nitrate of 

 barytes to the same treatment as described above, but the reac- 



* Having suffered severely on several occasions from the unexpected explosion 

 of this substance, we would earnestly recommend the operator not to neglect the 

 precautions mentioned above. 



Vol. xLii, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1841. 9 



