386 Alfred J. Etvart : 



The influence of temperature. 



Not only is dilution a condition for the abundant polymeriza- 

 tion of formaldehyde to sugar by alkalies, but also a high tempera- 

 ture. Thus using Barium hydrate and 1 % per cent, formal- 

 dehyde the times required to complete the reaction on a water bath 

 at 80° C, boiling at 100° C, and in an autoclave at 110° C, 

 were respectively 5, 3 and 1. 



In addition, however, at low temperatures less and less sugar is 

 produced, and finally only formates. Thus Barium hydrate kept 

 in contact Avith 10 %, 4 % and 2 % formaldehyde for 3 months at 

 10-12° C, in sealed receptacles, was partly converted into Barium 

 formate and some methyl alcohol and barium carbonate appeared, 

 but no reducing sugar. 



Similarly 250 c.c. water and 25 c.c. of 3.5 % NaHO and 5 c.c. 

 of 40 % CH2O after 3 months at 10° C. to 12° C, yielded sodium 

 formate, but no reducing sugar, and a trace of CHgO remained 

 unaltered. 



The same applies when sodium hydrate is used in conjunction 

 Avith calcium chloride. Thus 500 c.c. of water, 10 c.c. of 40 % 

 CHgO, 10 c.c. of 17 % CaClg, and 15.5 c.c. of 3.5 % sodium 

 hydrate after 3 months at 12° C, the liquid still contained CH^O, 

 but was practically neutral to litmus and feebly alkalline to phen- 

 olphthalein (as in* the case of dilute sodium form^ate), is contained 

 no reducing sugar and calcium and sodium chlorides and formates, 

 mainly as calcium chloride and sodium formate. In some similar 

 tests, using double the quantity of formaldehyde, a trace of 

 reducing sugar appeared, but only a mere trace, and the products 

 otherwise were the s-ame. 



Tests for fermentable synthesized sugars. — Large samples of 

 crude sugar were obtained from formaldehyde by the use of calcium 

 formate and caustic soda. The concentrated and filtered syrup was 

 diluted and fermented for three days at 30° C. with dry yeast and 

 "vvith frest yeast after the addition of Pasteur's ash. The fresh 

 yeast showed signs of budding and increased in amount. A fair 

 quantity of carbon dioxide was formed. The distillate gave the 

 iodoform test for alcohol readily and contained between 3 and 4 % 

 of alcoliol. The residual liquid after distillation contained a large 

 amount of reducing sugar. It was optically inactive, and formed 

 a good culture medium for various Bacilli and for PenicilUwn and 

 Eurotium, particularly with the addition of Pa.steur's ash. 



