M. Reboul on Valerylene. 501 



The bromide of propylene was treated with ethylate of soda, 

 and the disengaged gas led into an ammoniacal solution of pro- 

 tochloride of copper. The yellow deposit characteristic of ally- 

 lide of copper was obtained ; hence it may be doubted whether 

 the propylene formed synthetically by the addition of the two 

 radicals £H and C 2 H 5 is identical with ordinary propylene. 



The bromides of the hydrocarbons of the general formula 

 G n H n Br can lose a molecule of hydrobromic acid and form a 

 brominated derivative of the primitive hydrocarbon, and then 

 a second molecule in becoming changed into a hydrocarbon 

 Q n H n " 2 which differs from the original by two 'of hydrogen. 

 By this method the following hydrocarbons have been obtained : 



Acetylene, € 2 H 2 Berthelot*. 

 Allylene, G 3 H 4 Sawitzschf. 

 Crotonylene, Q 4 H 6 CaventouJ. 



To this series Beboul§ has added, by the same method, the 

 fourth member, valerylene, € 5 H 8 . He obtained it by heating, for 

 several hours in closed tubes at 140°, brominated amylene with 

 a saturated alcoholic solution of potash. Water added to the 

 product of the reaction separated a mixture of valerylene, 

 alcohol, and brominated amylene. This was washed with cold 

 water to remove the alcohol, and the valerylene separated from 

 the brominated amylene by rectification, which was very easy, as 

 the boiling-point of the former is at 44° to 46° ; that of the 

 latter at 114° to 116° C. 



Valerylene is a colourless mobile liquid, much lighter than 

 water, and with a penetrating alliaceous odour. It does not 

 affect an ammoniacal solution of protochloride of copper. It 

 combines with bromine with great energy, forming a bibromide, 

 G 5 H 8 Br 2 , which is not, however, volatile without decomposition. 

 When treated with potash, this compound is decomposed into 

 bromide of potassium and a liquid with an alliaceous odour, 

 which is probably brominated valerylene, € 5 H 7 Br. 



Strecker has described a new class of nitrogen compounds ||. 

 The action of nascent hydrogen has been tried on nitro-com- 

 pounds, such as nitrobenzole,C 12 H 5 (NO 4 ), and nitrobenzoic acid, 

 Qi4 jj5 (N0 4 )0 4 , has been tried ; and the general result is that 4 

 equivs. of oxygen are withdrawn and their place taken by 2 

 equivs. of hydrogen : it may be assumed that NO 4 is changed 



* Phil.Mag.S. 4. vol.xxi.p.358. t Ibid, p.359. 



X Ibid. vol. xxv. p. 543. 



§ Comptes Rendus, January 25, 1864. 



|| Ibid. February 1864. 



