388 Conductivity and Electrolysis of Chemical Compounds. 



methyl : I endeavoured to cause an induction-current to pass, 

 of which the length of the spark in air was 15 millims., with 

 the electrodes 4 millims. apart ; no discharge through the 

 liquid took place, even when the distance was reduced to 

 2 millims ; but the liquid was put into undulatory motion, 

 while the longer electrode was set vibrating (see further on). 

 When the electrodes were brought to 1 millim. distance from 

 each other, the spark-discharge ensued. 



Table V. 





Galvanic 



Induction- 

 coil. 

 Spark-length 

 = 17 mm. 





Compound. 



battery, 

 80 B. el. 



Eemarks. 



Zincethyl, (C 2 H 5 ) 2 Zn 



o 



D=0 



T>=6 



No spark-discharge. 



Mercuryethyl, (C 2 H 5 ) 2 Hg 



D=0 



D=0 



Undulatory motion of 



the liquid. 

 Slight rise of tempe- 



Zincmethyl, (CH 3 ) 2 Zn 



D=0 



Trace. 









rature. 



Mercury methyl, (0H 3 ) 2 Hg 



D=0 



Trace. 



Slight rise of tempe- 

 rature, the electrodes 

 3 mm. apart, and 

 spark-discharge. 



Aluminiummethyl, (CH 3 ) 3 Al 



D=0 



D = 



Distance of electrodes 

 3 mm., agitation 

 of the longer elec- 

 trode. 



Zincamyl, (0 5 H u ) 2 Zn 



D=0 



D=0 



Dist. electr., 3 mm., 

 strong agitation of 

 longer electrode ; 

 spark-discharge at 

 2 mm. distance. 



The insulating properties of these bodies cannot be recon- 

 ciled with the above-mentioned hypotheses, according to 

 which good conduction might be expected *. They are charac- 

 terized by a very loose union of their constituents ; they are 

 readily decomposed by most reagents through elective affinity, 

 or exchange their metals with one another even at ordinary 

 temperatures. Thus from mercurymethyl with aluminium 

 aluminiummethyl is formed ; also the mercury is separated 

 by zinc through double decomposition ; with chloride of lead 

 or mercury the corresponding ethyl-compounds are formed 



* Hittorf, in his treatise (I. c. p. 500), says on this subject: — "Frank- 

 land and Ldwig succeeded in coupling even the most decidedly basic metals 

 with alcohol-radicals. The compounds, which behave like the ordinary 

 salts, will also be electrolytes ; so far as I know, however, nothing has 

 been published respecting their electrolysis." The above results do not 

 confirm this opinion. 



