2 i MM. Cannizzaro and Rossi on new Radicals. 



composition of ordinary alcohol — one of the infrequent examples 

 of the formation of a body by the direct addition of hydrogen^ 



C 2 H 4 + H 2 = € 2 li 6 G. 



Cannizzaro and Rossi* have obtained some of the radicals of 

 the aromatic-alcohol series by methods analogous to those by 

 which the radicals of the ethylic-alcohol series are obtained, 

 namely, by the action of metals on the chlorides of the alcohol 

 radicals. 



When excess of sodium is added to chloride of benzyle and 

 the mixture heated to 100°, the metal becomes of a violet-blue 

 colour, while the liquid is yellow and of a very thick consistence. 

 The mixture is shaken with ether, which dissolves all organic 

 substances, and on evaporating the solution a yellow oily substance 

 remains, which after some time crystallizes in laminse and needles. 

 This is the radical of benzoic alcohol in an impure condition, and 

 is purified by being pressed between bibulous paper and recry- 

 stallized two or three times from strong alcohol. Benzyle, G 14 H 14 , 

 is a white crystalline substance which melts at 52° and boils at 

 284°. It is insoluble in pure water, but tolerably so in boiling 

 alcohol, from which it crystallizes in needles. 



The radical of cuminic alcohol, cuminetfiyle or cuminyle, is 

 obtained in quite the same way ; the action of sodium on chlo- 

 ride of cuminyle is attended with the evolution of heat. The 

 radical is a white substance, which both on cooling from a hot 

 saturated alcoholic solution, and on the spontaneous evaporation 

 of its etherial solution, is obtained in broad thin laminse, with a 

 mother-of-pearl lustre. It is insoluble in water, but tolerably 

 soluble in cold, and still more readily in hot alcohol, in ether, 

 and in bisulphide of carbon. Its composition is expressed by 

 the formula € 20 H 26 '. 



The authors also appear to have obtained the radical of anisic 

 alcohol, but not in quantities sufficient for accurately establish- 

 ing its composition and properties. 



Wurtz has described f a new method of forming amylene. 

 Zinc-ethyle and iodide of allyle were enclosed together in sealed 

 tubes and heated in the water-bath. A brisk action took place, 

 and the sides of the tube became covered with a crystalline mass 

 of iodide of zinc. On opening the tube a considerable quantity 

 of gas was disengaged, and the whole of the liquid distilled over 

 in the water-bath. It was then heated in a sealed tube with potas- 

 sium, to decompose the iodide of allyle, and the product of this 



* Liebig's Annalen, February 1862. Comptes llendus, vol. liii. p. 541. 

 t Comptes llendus, February 17, 1862. 



