378 Scientific Intelligence. 
7. On the Synthesis of Malonic acid.—P1nnzER some time ago 
showed that when zinc and 
lactic acid there was produced, not monochlorlactic acid, but, 
y the loss of a molecule of water, chloracrylic acid. He now 
yields salts identical with those of malonic acid. The aut 
represents the reaction in three stages: 1st. The replacement of the 
i ydroxyl producing acryl-lactie acid :— 
CHCl=-=CH---COOH +HOH=CH(OH)--=CH-.-COOH+HClI 
2d. The addition of a molecule of water and then by rearrange- 
ment forming malonic aldehyde :— 
CH(OH)=:=CH-.-COOH+HOH=CH(OH),=:--CH,-.-COOH 
CH(OH),-.-CH,-.-COOH=COH-.--CH,-..-COOH+HOH. 
3d. By oxidation giving COOH---CH,-—.-COOH, malonic acid. 
Groves have investigated the action of chlorine on pyrogallol. 
When an acetic acid solution of this substance is saturated with 
chlorine in the cold, it becomes of a pale orange-red color. It is 
d for an hour, and the whole 
D 
soluble freely in ether, and affording on analysis the empirica 
after pres itation passed only slowly into alizarin on fusion with 
potash. Treatment with acetic oxide gave two products: one! 
