240 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



easily soluble in etlier, chloroform, and petroleum ether. It melts at 28° C. 

 It was previously prepared by Berthelot. 



Mliyl Palmitate and Propyl Palmitate. — These were obtained in the same 

 way as that described above for the methyl ester. Ethyl palmitate was 

 prepared by Heintz. It crystallizes in long needles and melts at 24*2° C. The 

 yield obtamed by our method was 81 per cent, of the theoretical. 



N-Propyl Palmitate crystallizes in needles, and melts at 18'8-19'2°C. In 

 the preparation 7 grammes of palmitic acid and 25 c.c. of N-propyl alcohol were 

 treated with 2^ c.c. of sulphuric acid. As the ester separated, the solution 

 became first brown and then violet. The yield of ester was 5'5 grammes. 



Methyl Stearate. — 10 grammes of stearic acid and 50 c.c. of methyl alcohol 

 gave 9 grammes of ester. The compound crystallizes in needles, and melts at 

 38" C. It was previously prepared by Hanhart. 



Mhyl Stearate. — 10 grammes of stearic acid and 100 c.c. of Ethyl alcohol 

 gave a theoretical yield of ester, crystallizing in needles and melting at 31° C. 

 It was previously prepared by Hanhart. 



N-Propyl Stearate. — 7 grammes of stearic acid and 25 c.c. of N-propyl 

 alcohol treated with 2| c.c. of sulphuric acid gave 6'5 grammes of ester. As 

 the ester separated, the solution became first brown and then violet. 



Propyl stearate is a white wax-like solid crystallizing from petroleum 

 ether in large prisms and melting at 28"6° C. 



Prepakation of Teetiaet Alcohols. 



Dimethyl-Pentadecyl-Carhinol. — 15'3 grammes of methyl iodide, 2*5 

 grammes of clean magnesium ribbon, and 30 c.c. of dry ether were taken in a 

 conical flask attached to a reflux condenser which carried a calcium chloride 

 tube. A trace of iodine was added, and a vigorous reaction immediately set 

 in, so that it was necessary to cool the flask with water. When the effer- 

 vescence had ceased, the flask was warmed for a few minutes on the water- 

 bath to complete the reaction. Twelve grammes of methyl palmitate were 

 then added in small pieces, time being given for each fragment to dissolve 

 before the addition of another. A slight evolution of heat took place on the 

 addition of the ester ; and the flask was cooled by unmersion in ice- water. 

 When all the water had been added, the flask was. stoppered and left standing 

 overnight. Next day grey prismatic crystals had separated from the solution. 

 Water was then added drop by drop with cooling, and the basic magnesiimi 

 compound which separated was dissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid. The 

 liquid was extracted with ether, and the extract after evaporation of the ester 

 was treated with an excess of alcoholic potash and evaporated to dryness on a 



