Nitrobenzole and its Homologues. 179 
washed with en alkaline solution to remove the nitrobenzoic acid 
formed. 
Since sulphobenzolate of ammonium, when submitted to dry 
distillation, yields some quantity of benzole*, I imagined that 
the nitrosulphobenzolate would yield nitrobenzole: experiment, 
however, has not corroborated this view. 
In 1859 I showed+ that nascent chlorine acts powerfully on 
toluole, xylole, and other homologues of benzole, yielding the 
chlorides of toluenyle, xylenyle, &c., from which the cyanides, 
and subsequently the acids (toluic and xyloic), are producible. 
I am pursuing some inquiries in this direction with benzole, 
upon which unfortunately nascent chlorine acts with more diffi- 
culty, and at the same time does not appear to yield such definite 
results. 
There is a point of view from which some of the experiments 
which I have made acquire a fresh interest. If 1 vol. of light 
coal-naphtha containing, say 50 per cent. of benzole, be sub- 
mitted to the action of 6 vols. of oil of vitriol previously diluted 
with 1 vol. of water, and the mixture heated for some time in 
a suitable condensing apparatus, the benzole will remain nearly, 
if not quite, unacted upon, while the other hydrocarbons will be 
dissolved by the sulphuric acid. If the acid be absorbed by 
small fragments of pumice and thus used, it exerts a much more 
rapid and effectual action on the naphtha. The benzole, after 
having been washed with water, is nearly pure. The other hy- 
drocarbons which have been dissolved are now contained as sul- 
photoluolic and similar acids in the liquid, which is to be collected, 
diluted with half its bulk of water, and poured into a retort pro- 
vided with a Liebig’s condenser. Buichromate of potassium, 
about one-sixth part in weight of the acid present, is added gra- 
dually to the solution, and the mixture cautiously distilled. In 
this way a considerable proportion of benzoic acid may be ob- 
tained. 
Postscript, February 8, 1861. 
Since writing the above remarks, my attention has been 
directed to a short notice of some experiments by MM. Cloetz 
and Guignet, who also seem to have obtained a new acid by the 
oxidation of nitrobenzole. I think it mght to say that I sue- 
ceeded in producing the acid which I have termed nitrophenoic 
in June 1860. 
* Phil. Mag. December 1859. 
+ Chemical News, December 10, 1859. 
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