﻿178 Prof. J. A. Wanklyn on the Compounds of 



The numbers given on experiment were : — 



Quantity of water added to a weighed \ _ , ™ . 

 quantity of the substance . . J ~ ' & 



Loss on heating the substance and) qnQ 



water to 270° C. and 280° C. . J ~^' dUy grms * 



Therefore by experiment, ratio of water to alcohol produced 



= 1-00 : 2-309. 

 Theory requires 



1-00 : 2-55. 



This experiment shows very plainly that there is no forma- 

 tion of anhydrous soda. If Na 2 O were formed, double the 

 quantity of alcohol should have been given. Furthermore, 

 experiment with alcohol slightly moist, i. e. containing 3 per 

 cent, of water, has shown that the new compound is very sen- 

 sitive to the presence of traces of water, the smallest quantity 

 of water effecting an equivalent decomposition according to the 

 equation just given. 



With iodide of ethyle : — It is well known that an alcoholic 

 solution of potash or soda, as also the crystals containing alco- 

 hol and ethylate of sodium, effects an easy decomposition of 

 iodide of ethyle into ether and iodide of the alkali-metal. 

 The hydrate of ethylene-sodium behaves in a very different 

 manner. I took 5*849 grms. of the hydrate and 10 cubic cen- 

 tims. of iodide of ethyle and heated very gradually up to 210° C. 

 in a small retort open to the air; 9 cubic centims. of iodide 

 of ethyle distilled over, and were condensed and measured. 

 The product was subsequently weighed and found to be 5*948 

 grms., showing that there had been no sensible action, the small 

 difference of 0*1 grm. being only that which would be occasioned 

 by the difference of weight between the apparatus partially 

 filled with vapour of iodide of ethyle and the apparatus filled 

 with air. In this experiment, although the temperature of the 

 oil-bath was 210° C, still the temperature of the interior of 

 the retort must have kept very low, owing to the evaporation 

 of the iodide of ethyle until near the end of the experiment. 

 The conclusion to be drawn is that there is no rapid action 

 between iodide of ethyle and hydrated oxide of ethylene-sodium 

 at moderate temperatures. Under similar circumstances, either 

 the crystals or alcoholic solution of potash or soda would have 

 decomposed a very considerable quantity of iodide of ethyle. 



When iodide of ethyle and the hydrated oxide of ethylene- 

 sodium are sealed up together and heated up to between 120° C. 

 and 150° Q. for an hour or two, there is very complete decom- 

 position. 



