36 



tion with oxide of copper, with chromate of lead, and with a mixture 

 of oxide of copper and chlorate of potassa ; the sulphuric acid by 

 chloride of barium. The result was C4 H5O, SO3. 



By the action of water, aided by heat, the oil entirely disappears, 

 and if carbonate of baryta be added, and the filtered solution be 

 evaporated, crystals of methionate of baryta separate, and the re- 

 mainder of this salt is thrown down by alcohol. The methionate is 

 proved by its properties and analysis. The mother liquor yields a 

 salt, soluble in alcohol, which is shown to be an equal mixture of 

 sulphovinate and isethionate of baryta, by analysis and behaviour. 

 For sulphovinic acid is resolved, by boiling, into sulphuric acid and 

 alcohol, while the latter is not. By determining the baryta in the 

 mixture, boiling the acids, removing the free acid by carbonate of 

 baryta, and determining the baryta in the last solution of isethionate, 

 the weight of the former is about double that of the latter. 



It follows, from these experiments, that the usual explanation of 

 the formation of heavy oil of wine, previous to that of ethionic acid, 

 is erroneous, for not the slightest trace of the heavy oil of wine is 

 found in the substance resulting from the action of anhydrous sul- 

 phuric acid on ether or alcohol. The probable rationale is, that the 

 anhydrous sulphuric acid partly forms directly the neutral sulphate 

 of ether (C^, H^O, SO 3), and partly decomposes the ether, forming 

 Regnault's sulphate of olefiant gas (4 SO3, C4 H4), which takes up 

 1 eq. water to form ethionic acid (4 SO 3, C4 H^O). Another por- 

 tion of the acid takes up water and unites with ether, producing sul- 

 phovinic acid (C4 H5O, 2 SO 3, HO). In the case of alcohol, part of 

 the sulphuric acid takes up water and unites with a portion of alcohol, 

 forming hydrated sulphovinic acid, while the liberated ether partly 

 forms the neutral sulphate and partly ethionic acid. The products 

 of decomposition sufficiently distinguish the neutral sulphate from the 

 heavy oil of wine. 4 eq. of the neutral sulphate with 3 eq. water, 

 are first resolved into ethionic acid, and 3 eq. alcohol, and by the 

 action of heat, into isethionic and sulphovinic acids and alcohol, as 

 shown in the following equation. 4 (C4 H O, SO3) + 3 HO = 

 C4 H,0, 4 SO3 + 3 (C^ H,0, HO) = C4 H,0, 2 SO3 + C^ H^O, 

 HO, 2 SO3 + 2 (C4 H5O, HO). 



Dr. F. Bache announced the death of Prof. J, J. Berzelius, 

 at Stockholm, in the 69th year of his age. 



Dr. Boye exhibited to the Society a specimen of tea, artifici- 

 ally coloured, which had been handed to him for examination. 



