30 Affinities of Poly basic Acids. 



KOOC COOK 



^> CR - CH 2 - CH 2 - CR <T 

 HOOCT COOH 



is formed, the strengthening influence of one carboxyl upon 

 another no longer exists, and as a matter of experience such 

 a salt has little or no acid character. When R represents the 

 alkyl groups, methyl or ethyl, the dibasic salts, have a slight 

 acid action and yield tetrabasic salts, whereas when R 

 denotes the heavier groups, benzyl or cetyl, it was not found 

 possible to prepare tetrabasic salts in the usual way. 



The facts which have been brought forward show that the 

 chemical activity of a polybasic acid is a complex function 

 of the affinities of the several groups which it contains, and 

 that the action of one or more groups cannot be "neutralised" 

 without affecting the affinities of the rest. The chemical 

 character of a group, in fact, depends not alone upon itself, 

 but also upon the nature of those in the society of which it is 

 found. 



