212 RESEARCHES UPON THE CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF GASES. 



The methyl chloride formed in the apparatus above described was caused to pass 

 through a second combustion tube heated in a furnace, and through a side tube a 

 stream of chlorine was passed directly into this second combustion tube. The 

 methyl chloride supposed to have been formed by the action in the first furnace re- 

 ceived, therefore, an additional quantity of chlorine before passing through the com- 

 bustion tube in the second furnace. It seemed possible that in such a case the 

 formation of higher chlorinated derivatives might be better controlled tnus : 



OH, 4- 2 CI = CH3CI + HCl. 



This equation represents the reaction probably occurring in the first combustion 

 tube. The gases were then passed through water to remove hydrochloric acid. They 

 were then dried by sulphuric acid and received the additional volume of chlorine, as 

 above mentioned, before entering the second heated combustion tube. This reaction 

 might then occur : 



CH3CI + 2 Cl = CHjCl., + HCl. 



In the second tube the results were hardly different from those originally obtained. 

 The methane tends constantly to produce methyl chloride or carbon tetrachloride, 

 and there is little or no probability of obtaining intermediate products except in rela- 

 tively very small proportions. 



