44 J. M. Crafts on the Action of Bromine and of 
off in heating it. The liquid obtained from several operations 
in sealed tubes was distilled. About one-half distilled at a tem- 
perature near 45° C.; the mercury then mounted rapidly to 200°, 
while only a small quantity of an acid liquid passed over; the 
residue was allowed to cool in the retort , 
The first portion, distilling near 45°, washed with a solution 
of potash and dried over solid hydrate of potash distilled at 
38°-5-39°, and had all the properties of bromid of ethyl. An 
analysis gave :— 
Found. Theory, C,H,Br. 
Crs 22-66 - - - 
os £55 - - - 4°59 
The portion that distilled at 45° to 200° consisted mostly of 
acetic and bromacetic acids: when diluted with water it deposited 
only a small quantity of bromid of ethyl, together with a few 
ps of another bromated compound, whose point of ebullition 
was higher, but of which not enough could be obtained to enable 
me to determine its nature. 
The liquid, boiling above 200°, which had been left in the re- 
tort, on pee was transformed in greater part into a crystal- 
lized solid. The crystals, pressed between folds of filter-paper, 
and then heated to 180° in current of carbonic acid to free them 
from bromhydriec acid, possessed the properties of bromaceti¢ 
acid, C,H,BrO,. Their solidifying point was about 46°. A 
determination of bromine gave :— 
a Found. Theory. 
SEE SISG OO hos SR TB y Aa 
The portion of the product, boiling above 200°, which did not 
solidify in the retort, was without doubt a mixture of brom- — 
acetic and bibromacetic acids; it contained 67 p. c. of bromine, 
while bibromacetic acid contains 73°4. The quantity of this — 
latter acid produced in the reaction was small. 
Tt will be seen from these data that the acetate of ethyl, instead | 
of giving a product of substitution with bromine, is decom a 
by it into bromid of ethyl and bromacetic acid. The chief reat- 4 
tion is represented by the equation :— 
Acetate of Ethyl. Bromacetic acid. Bromid of Ethyl. 
C,H,O 
C,H, O +2Br — 2 Br O a C,H,Br 
mine on the bromacetic acid might have reacted upon a portion — 
