1868.] 



of the Series C,, U 2,1+2- 



375 



with sodium -carbonate ; a small quantity of a neutral oil remained undis- 

 solved, which was removed, and the solution of the sodium-salt evaporated 

 to dryness. The residue was distilled with sulphuric acid, and from the 

 distillate, on which an oily acid swam, a silver-salt prepared. 



(1) 0-3190 of this salt gave 0'1830 Ag. 



(2) 0*2408 of salt of another preparation gave 0*1358 Ag. 



Salt No. 1 contained, therefore, 57*3 per cent. Ag, and No. 2 56*4 per 

 cent. Ag. This composition differs very much from silver- valerate, which 

 contains 51 "67 per cent. Ag ; yet the characteristic odour of the distillate 

 leaves no doubt that a considerable quantity of valerianic acid was present, 

 which must have been mixed with a lower member of the fatty acid series. 

 I soon found that acetic acid was present ; for on distilling the residue in 

 the retort and collecting separately the last distillate, a liquid was obtained 

 which smelt of acetic acid. It was converted into the silver-salt. 0*2340 

 of this salt gave 0*1485 Ag, or contained 63*46 per cent. Ag, whilst the 

 calculated percentage is 64*67 per cent. Pedler has found that active 

 amyl alcohol yields on oxidation, besides valerianic acid, a considerable 

 quantity of acetic acid*, the same products, therefore, as amyl alcohol from 

 petroleum. 



The neutral oil above mentioned was treated again with the oxidizing 

 mixture, which had hardly any action on it in the cold ; it was therefore 

 dried and distilled. The greatest portion boiled between 97°-120°, and 

 distilled on rectification nearly wholly between 95°-105°. It had a plea- 

 sant fruity smell, and formed with hydrogen sodium-sulphite a crystalline 

 compound. The analysis yielded the following results : — 



0*3080 substance gave 0*7740 CO, and 0*3220 0. 



C = 68*5 



H = 11-6 



O = 19-9 



100*0 



The only simple formula which can be calculated from these numbers is 

 C. H^o 0, although the quantity of carbon is 1 per cent, short ; probably it 

 contained a little amylacetate ; the odour of it certainly resembled that of 

 this ether, and, as the following calculated compositions of C. H^^ O and of 

 amylacetate show, such an admixture would lower the percentage of carbon. 



Calculated composition of 



C 69*77 64*61 



H 11*63 10*77 



O 18-60 ' 24*62 



100*00 100*00 

 * Journ. Cheni. Soc, 2 ser. vol. vi. p. 76. 



