Action of Sulphuric Acid on Alcohol. 267 



Art. X. — A memoir on the Action of Sulphuric Acid on Al- 

 cohol^ and the products which result from it. Read before 

 the French Academy ; by M. Serullas, on the 15th and 

 22d of September, 1828. 



Translated and abridged by Prof. Grisconi. 



In this valuable memoir, the author states that the sub- 

 stance called sweet oil of wine, results from the decomposi- 

 tion of the yellow liquid formed of sulphuric acid and car- 

 buretted hydrogen : a decomposition produced either by its 

 prolonged contact with the colorless liquid which distils with 

 it, or by the operations to which it is subjected in order to 

 separate and depurate it. 



M. Serullas calls this substance neutral sulphate of carhu- 

 retted hydrogen., or, sulphate of ether. Although it has been 

 seen and handled by all those who have prepared sulphuric 

 ether, it is no less true, that its real nature remains unknown. 

 To obtain it pure the author directs that a mixture of 2i parts 

 of sulphuric acid and 1 part of alcohol at 36 should be dis- 

 tilled as for the preparation of ether. After a little ether has 

 come over, the oily liquid, more or less yellow, will make its 

 appearance, sometimes sinking below and at others floating 

 above another colorless liquid which comes over at the same 

 time. In the former case, it is mixed with more sulphurous 

 acid and less ether than the colorless liquor, and in the latter, 

 the acid is mingled in greater quantity with the colorless 

 liquid. 



To purify it, after having separated it from the colorless 

 liquid, it must be immediately washed by agitating it with a 

 certain quantity of water to deprive it of sulphuric acid, a 

 portion of alcohol, ether and sulphurous acid; then placed 

 in a capsule under the receiver of an air pump, within which 

 in another vessel is a portion of sulphuric acid, and the vacu- 

 um must be carefully continued until the volatilization of the 

 sulphurous acid, ether and alcohol causes an active eb<j!li- 

 tion. When this terminates, the liquid becomes colorJfss 

 and transparent, but the vacuum must be continued in osder 

 to free it from water. In the course of twenty four hours 

 the sulphate of carbonated hydrogen is of a beautifui deep 

 green, after having passed through the successive shades of 

 clear green, bluish green and emerald blue. 



