M. Schlebusch on Chlorovalerianic Acid. 511 



nitromesitylenic acid, G 9 H 9 (N9 2 )9 2 , which crystallizes and also 

 furnishes crystallizable salts. 



When mesitylenic acid is treated with chromic acid, it yields a 

 new acid which Fittig calls trimesic acid, G 9 H 6 G 6 . This is pro- 

 bably the same as that which is formed in small quantity when 

 mesitylene is directly oxidized. It crystallizes from hot water 

 in pretty thick, colourless and transparent hard prisms. Heated 

 in a glass tube it begins to melt at a temperature which is cer- 

 tainly not below 300° ; but before the entire mass is melted the 

 substance volatilizes without change. Trimesic acid is a strong 

 tribasic acid, which forms with barium a very characteristic salt. 

 Its formation from mesitylenic acid may be thus written : — 



€ 9 H 10 O 2 + 6O = G 9 H 6 G 6 + 2H 2 9. 



Schlebusch has examined the action of hypochlorous acid on 

 some of the fatty acids*. With valerianic acid hypochlorous 

 acid in solution unites directly, in the manner expressed by the 

 equation 



€ 5 H 10 O 2 + ClHG=€ 5 H 9 ClO 2 + H 2 O. 



The acid which is thus formed, chlorovalerianic acid, remains 

 mixed with some unaltered valerianic acid, and their separation 

 is attended with considerable difficulty ; but in many cases the 

 presence of unaltered valerianic acid is no very great objection. 



When the mixture of the above acids was treated with caustic 

 baryta, valerolactic acid (G 5 H 10 O 3 ) was obtained; and when the 

 same mixture dissolved in absolute alcohol was saturated with 

 ammonia, butalanine (C 5 H 11 G 2 N) was formed. 



Schlebusch also tried the action of hypochlorous acid on pal- 

 mitic acid, and finds that it takes place in accordance with the 

 equation 



G 16 H 32 G 2 + 2ClHG=e 16 H 30 Cl 2 G 2 + 2H 2 G. 



It would thus seem that as we go higher in the series of fatty 

 acids the facility of substitution increases. 



Bayer has investigated t the two products of condensation of 

 acetone — oxide of mesityle and phorone. They are most easily 

 prepared by saturating acetone with hydrochloric acid gas, leav- 

 ing the mixture for some days, and then treating it carefully with 

 alcoholic potash : a mixture of the two is liberated, and they are 

 separated by fractional distillation, — oxide of mesityle boiling 

 at 130°, and phorone at 196°. 



When oxide of mesityle, € 6 H 10 G, is treated with perchloride 



* Liebig's Annalen, vol. cxli. p. 322. 

 t Ibid. vol. cxl. p. ?97 



