196 Drs. Letts and Collie on the Salts of 



of equal volumes of carbon dioxide and ethylene), showing 

 that the reaction producing these two substances was very 

 limited. Eventually several grammes of the supposed ketone 

 were obtained, boiling from 205°-210° C. On combustion 

 the following numbers were obtained : — 



I. 0-244 grm. gave 0*6785 grm. C0 2 , and 0-166 H 2 0. 



II. 0-176 „ 0-4885 „ 0-1175 H 2 0. 



Calculated for Found. 



C 6 H 5 OOC 2 H 5 . 6 H 5 COOC 2 H 5 . I. II. 



0. . 80-59 72-00 75-82 75*86 



H. . 7-46 6-6Q 756 7-41 



These results show that the supposed ketone is by no means 

 separated from impurities by simple distillation, and the sub- 

 stance most likely to be formed, and lower the percentage of 

 carbon at the same time, is the ethyl benzoate. As the ben- 

 zoate could be removed by decomposing it with caustic potash, 

 the remainder of the liquid (B.P. 205°-210° C.) was boiled 

 with a solution of hydrate of potassium, washed with water, 

 dried, and redistilled. The boiling-point still remained the 

 same (205°-210° C.)> but a combustion gave a much larger 

 amount of carbon — 



0-240 grm. gave 0*702 grm. C0 2 and 0*1603 H 2 0. 



Calculated for -& j 



C 6 H 5 COC 2 H 5 . Found - 



C . . . 80-59 79-76 



H . . . 7-46 7-42 



Another quantity of the benzoate was prepared by the 

 action of benzoate of silver on the iodide of tetrethylphos- 

 phonium. On heating the salt, the same phenomena were 

 observed as with the benzoate prepared by the action of 

 benzoic acid on the hydrate. On fractionating, however, the 

 portion of the liquid distillate which was soluble in water, a 

 quantity boiling from 120°-140 c C. was obtained. On re- 

 moving the triethylphosphine by shaking with dilute hydro- 

 chloric acid, an aromatic-smelling liquid remained, which had 

 an odour somewhat like that of cymol, and a boiling-point 

 130°-140° C. 



Whether this liquid was ethyl benzol or not we were un- 

 able to determine, as the quantity at our disposal was too 

 small. The next fraction collected boiled at 200°-215° 0., 

 and was insoluble in water ; and on oxidation with chromic 

 acid yielded acetic and benzoic acids. The last portions of 

 the distillate were pure oxide of triethylphosphine. 



As this result was slightly different from those at first ob- 



