Action of Sulphuric Acid on Alcohol. 269 



claire de chaux eteinte) and filter. After concentrating it a 

 little by a gentle evaporation, cool it, filter again and allow 

 it to evaporate in a stove. It crystallizes- slowly but perfectly, 

 and we have thus a large quantity of suipho-vinate, very pure. 

 This suipho-vinate of lime, being dried with great care, and 

 heated in a retort, the principal product collected is the neu- 

 tral sulphate of carbonated hydrogen. 



The sweet oil of wine obtained in the best manner, by 

 treating the neutral sulphate of carbonated hydrogen with 

 water and heat, is slightly yeilow like olive oil, has an aro- 

 matic odor, density .921, greases paper like oils, thickens by 

 cold without losing its transparency, and at 35° is solid. When 

 perfectly deprived of water it is a non conductor of electri- 

 city, and may be taken as a type of non conducting oily 

 fluids. 



The author infers from his analyses that it consists of 6 

 parts of carbon and one of hydrogen. 



The crystalline matter which separates from it has the 

 same composition. 



The inferences which M. Serullas draws from his investi- 

 gation, are on the whole, as follows. 



J. That in the action of sulphuric acid on alcohol, there is 

 not formed, as has been believed, hypo-sulphuric acid, united 

 to vegetable matter, (sulpho-vinic acid.) 



2. That there is produced, on this occasion, a combination 

 of sulphuric acid in excess, carbonated hydrogen, and ele- 

 ments of water in proportions which constitute ether (bi-sul- 

 phate,) which abandons successively, by ebullition the ether 

 which it contains ; consequently the sulphuric acid has taken 

 from the alcohol, an atom of water. 



3. That the bi-sulphate of ether, in the reaction observed 

 at a later stage, in the same operation, loses the part of sul- 

 phuric acid which rendered it acid, or rather becomes satu- 

 rated with carbonated hydrogen, and forms then a neutral 

 sulphate of ether, or a double sulphate of ether and carbon- 

 ated hydrogen, one part of which distils, while another is de- 

 composed and gives rise to all the products which are known 

 to appear at the same time. 



4. That the neutral sulphate of ether, which must now 

 be ranked among well characterised chemical compounds, 

 and which may be assimilated with ethers of the third kind, 

 is susceptible by its exsiccation, and remainifig in a vacoum 

 of acquiring a fine green color ; that it passes by prolonged 



