J. M. Crafts on Ethers of Arsenic Acid. 13 
cohol. It dissolves immediately in water, heres the same 
decomposition. Particular attention was paid to the question 
of the existence of ethyl-arseniates, and experiments were made 
under the most favorable conditions for observing their forma- 
tion, but thus far with negative results. Felix D’Arcet, (Ann. 
Chem. und Pharm., xix, p. 202), gives the analysis of the barium 
salt of the di- ethyl arsenic acid ee H,),(AsG y, 4 
Hugo Schiff (Ann. Chem. und Pharm., cxi, p. ‘87 ae failed to - 
tain this body on n dimariberine arsenic mane in alcohol, evaporating 
until the solution acquired the consistency of a syrup, cepa =” 
in water and neutralizing with baric carbonate. This result 
proves at least that no ethyl arsenic seid can exist in adrnseii 
solution, and my own experiments confirm those of Mr. Schiff. 
It ted oe possible that when the arseniate of ethyl is 5 deottik 
posed b oy water, the decomposition might pass through two sta- 
ges, and that ethyl arsenic acids might at least exist for a time 
n the aqueous solution, even though they were ultimately 
es destroyed. In order to test this idea, a weighed 
quantity of arseniate of ethyl was dissolved in water, litmus so- 
lution was added and ** was aig ge ad immediately with a 
standard solution of the decomposition with 
water had been a psudasics one eer iene of the acids men- 
tioned, the neutralized solution should have developed an acid 
reaction after the lapse of a considerable time. This was not 
the case. The same amount of ammonia was required for neu- 
tralization, either immediately, or after the solution had stood 
24 hours, and moreover, the reaction was exactly similar to that 
itmus with ammonia. 
Another attempt was made to obtain the ethyl arsenic acid 
in an alcoholic solution. Pure arseniate of ethyl was mixed 
with alcohol, and only enough aqueous alcohol was added to 
ish water for the decomposition expressed by the reaction : 
(C,H,), AsO, +H,O = HC, 4) AsO, 4-0, 00; 
and the mixture was nc acd in vacuo. It behaved exaotly 
tion cits some of the undeco ecomposed arseniate of Bil: 
H(C,H,), AsO, +(C,H,), AsO,=(C,H,), As,0,+0,H,O; 
but no condensed ether like the one whose fiemuls j is given was 
obtained, and the only result of the decomposition with aqueous 
aleohol under these circumstances is the setting free bes arsenic 
acid and alcohol. . 
