﻿358 Prof. J. A. Wanklyn on some Reactions of 



place, would lead us to this result only, that the atoms of sether 

 would from every side approach nearer the atom of gross mat- 

 ter, without however becoming closer amongst themselves, that 

 is, without condensation. But, as it is not my intention to dis- 

 cuss an incidental question about which Professor Norton has 

 not yet formed a definite opinion, I will say no more on this 

 subject. 



I trust that the reader in the preceding pages will have found 

 sufficient evidence as to whether my criticism on Professor Nor- 

 ton's theory was well founded or not. It only remains for me 

 to answer the objections which he advances against some views 

 pat forward in my f Elements of Molecular Mechanics/ When 

 this has been done, I shall consider the present controversy as 

 closed. 



[To be continued.] 



- - ' V — 



L. On some Reactions of Hydrated Oxide of Ethylene- sodium. 

 By J. Alfred Wanklyn, Professor of Chemistry in the Lon- 

 don Institution*. 



AS described in former papers f, hydrated oxide of ethylene- 

 sodium is obtained by allowing metallic sodium fco act on 

 ten times its weight of perfectly absolute alcohol and heating the 

 product to rather over 200° C, maintaining it at that tempera- 

 ture so long as alcohol distils off. In this manner a perfectly 

 white product may be obtained having accurately the composition 

 Na C 2 H 5 0. This substance is hydrated oxide of ethylene- 

 sodium. It is characterized by its reaction with the ethers of the 

 fatty acids and the ether of benzoic acid, with which it gives 

 alcohol and a salt of ethylene-sodium, thus : — 



Hydrated oxide of . , • ,, Acetate of A , , , 



■ it v Acetic ether. ,, , ■,• Alcohol, 



ethylene- sodium. ethylene- sodium. 



C 2 H 4 Na1 n 2 H 5 \ n _C 2 H 4 Na\ ~ C 2 H 5 \ n 



H J U + C 2 H 3 OJ U ~C 2 H 3 J U+ H J U ' 



It has already been explained that I do not regard sodium as 



mono-valent, but as tri-valent in these compounds, the radical 



ethylene-sodium being 



((C 2 H 4 )"Na" ; )'. 



The following reactions, which I have lately studied, tend in 

 favour of this view of the atomicity of sodium. 



Sulphuretted Hydrogen and Hydrated Oxide of Ethylene-sodium. 



Experiment I. 1'3815 grm. of sodium was dissolved in 15 grms. 



of absolute alcohol, and the product heated in the oil-bath up to 



* Communicated by the Author. 



t Phil. Mag. vol. xxxvii. pp. 117 & 175. 



