Ozone on Carbon Monoxide. 137 



of carbon is quadrivalent toward oxygen at the ordinary tem- 

 perature and under ordinary conditions. How otherwise shall 

 we explain the formation of carbon dioxide in the processes of 

 decay, fermentation, etc. ? But the atom of carbon is just as 

 positively quadrivalent at high temperatures. 



The comparative ease with which carbon monoxide takes up 

 chlorine appears to prove that it possesses free affinities. But 

 if we accept this as a proof of the existence of free affinities in 

 carbon monoxide, we have still better grounds for believing 

 that free affinities are preset)t in ethylene, for this gas combines 

 with chlorine much more readily than carbon monoxide does. 

 Still the view is commonly held that in ethylene the two 

 carbon-atoms of the molecule are united by the mutual action 

 of two affinities of each atom. 



These considerations show that the nature of carbon monox- 

 ide is, as yet, but very unsatisfactorily understood. The first 

 question which suggests itself is this : How far are we justified 

 in considering carbon monoxide as a body possessing free affin- 

 ities? 



If we attempt to answer this question entirely without preju- 

 dice, we see that the principal experiment which is supposed to 

 prove the existence of free affinities in carbon monoxide is the 

 above mentioned experiment with chlorine. Oxygen does not 

 combine with carbon monoxide at the ordinary temperature. 

 This is readily understood, for, in order that the carbon monox- 

 ide and oxygen may combine by direct contact of the two sub- 

 stances, the oxygen-molecule must first be decomposed into its 

 ■ atoms. An ' ' ' ' ■ • - • 



tion has been described by E. Ludwig,* who shows that carbon 

 monoxide is oxidized by chromic acid at the oi'dinary tempera- 

 ture forming carbon dioxide. In this case carbon monoxide is 

 active enough to separate one atom of oxygen from chromic 

 acid and to employ it for the formation of carbon dioxide. 



We have occupied ourselves with an experiment similar to 

 that described by Ludwig, and have obtained a different and 

 unexpected result. It appeared to us to be of interest to know 

 whether, at the ordinary temperature, ozone has the power to 

 transform carbon monoxide into the higher oxide. According 

 to the views which are commonly held concerning the na- 

 ture of the substances experimented upon, the transformation 

 mentioned could be predicted with a tolerable degree of cer- 

 tainty. Particularly is this the case, if we consider the result 

 of Ludwig's experiment, for usually ozone gives up its extra 

 atom of oxygen with still greater readiness 'than chromic acid 

 does. There is indeed no substance in the whole field of 

 chemistry which furnishes us with a better means for obtaining 



