134 L Remsm on the Product of the action of 



mother-substance. This conclusion proved subsequently to be 

 erroneous, in such a way as to show that the first error in judg- 

 ment was partially excusable. In a second series of experi- 

 ments, I employed four molecules of the chloride to one molecule 

 of the substance, and thus reached new results. The same phe- 

 nomena accompanied the reaction, that were noticed in the case 

 already described. The direct product was a clear, yellow oil. 

 This was treated with a little cold water. At first the oil simply 

 fell to the bottom of the vessel, but in a short time decomposi- 

 tion commenced, and gradually the oil disappeared, a solid 

 product remaining in its stead. On being filtered off and 

 examined, the solid product proved to be a new acid, compara- 

 tively easily soluble in water. In the filtrate there was also 

 contained a considerable quantity of the new substance, which 

 was extracted by shaking with ether. The new acid crystal- 

 lizes out of the concentrated aqueous solution in lamioEe which 

 are colored yellow. In alcohol it is exceedingly easily soluble. 

 It dissolves in a little potassic carbonate, and' is precipitated 

 from the solution on the addition of a few drops of chlorhydric 

 acid. 



As this product is easily soluble in water, it is plain that it 

 escaped me in the first experiment, by remaining dissolved in 

 the water which served for the decomposition of the chloride, 

 a sufficient quantity of water having been employed to dis- 

 solve the whole of the product, if the conversion of the substance 

 C,2H, ,0, into the chloride had been complete. That which 

 was really found in the first experiment was simply a part of 

 the original substance, which had not been acted upon by the 

 chloride of phosphorus. 



If we attempt to distil the chloride for the purpose of purifi- 

 cation the mass is completely carbonized. A few drops of a 

 colorless liquid boiling at a high temperature pass over, but the 

 quantity of this liquid is too small to admit of an examination. 

 It is decomposed by water, and the product is solid. It was 

 impossible to determine the nature of the solid, owing to the 

 small quantity obtained. It is not probable that it was succinic 

 acid, for, in that case, the chloride from which it was obtained 

 would have become solid at a low temperature, whereas it 

 remained liquid even when cooled down to 0^ 



If the product of the action of phosphoric chloride on the 

 substance C.^H.^Og is heated for some time, it gradually 

 becomes solid, or nearly so, and then has the appearance of a 

 translucent resin. I analyzed this compound, but the numbers 

 obtained did not agree in different analyses It appears, thus, 

 that condensation and decomposition of the chloride are caused 

 by heat 



As the most important result of these experiments with 



