I MR. W. R. JEKYLL ON THE ACTION OF 



acting with sulphuric acid on these compounds, I obtained, 

 besides large quantities of tarry matter, polymeric modifi- 

 cations boiling above 200°, having a smell similar to the 

 hydrocarbons described above, giving also similar nitro- 

 compounds ; but the quantities which I got were not large 

 enough for a more exact examination/ - ' 



In order to throw light upon this point, I undertook, 

 at the request of Mr. Schorlemmer, to investigate the action 

 of sulphuric acid on diallyl. 



The diallyl used was obtained by the action of sodium 

 upon allyl iodide, and boiled at 59 . Since concentrated 

 sulphuric acid acts with great violence upon diallyl, the 

 latter was diluted with about an equal bulk of pure paraf- 

 fins, boiling at from 55 to 56 . To this mixture sulphuric 

 acid was gradually added in small quantities, the bottle 

 being frequently shaken. The action was attended with 

 the evolution of much heat, so that it became necessary to 

 keep the mixture cool by surrounding the bottle with large 

 quantities of water. Sulphuric acid was added at intervals 

 through the space of about six hours, and allowed to re- 

 main in contact with the diallyl during the night. Next 

 morning the liquid was found to have separated into two 

 layers, of which the upper one was pure paraffins, the 

 whole of the diallyl having been taken up by the acid. 

 The heavier and acid portion was diluted with water, when 

 a dark-coloured oil, lighter than water, separated out, 

 after which the whole was distilled from a large flask. 

 Tne distillate consisted of a light oil, which came over 

 below 1 oo°, mixed with a little water. In order to free 

 the oil from traces of undissolved paraffins and other im- 

 purities, it was redissolved in sulphuric acid, from which 

 it was again separated by dilution and distillation. The 

 oil was dried by means of calcium chloride, and heated for 

 some hours over potassium, which does not act upon the 

 pure compound. It then boiled constantly at 93 C. ; and, 



