1864] 



Acids of the Lactic Series, 



141 



numerous other acids belonging to the lactic series, which -we have already 

 more or less perfectly studied, and the history of which we propose to lay 

 before the Royal Society as our researches proceed, reserving for a later 

 communication our views regarding the constitution of this series of 

 acids, and the theoretical conclusions arrived at in the course of the inquiry. 

 In the present communication we will describe the application of this re- 

 action to a mixture of iodide of methyl and oxalate of methyl. 



Two equivalents of iodide of methyl were mixed with one of oxalate of 

 methyl, and placed in contact with an excess of amalgamated and granu- 

 lated zinc in a flask, to which an inverted Liebig's condenser, provided 

 with a mercurial safety tube, was attached. The flask was immersed during 

 about twenty-four hours in water maintained at a temperature gradually 

 rising from 70° C. to 100° C. as the reaction progressed towards com- 

 pletion. At the end of that time the mixture had solidified to a yellowish 

 gummy mass, which, on distillation with water, yielded methylic alcohol 

 possessing an etherial odour, but from which we could extract no ether. 

 The residual magma in the flask, consisting of iodide of zinc, oxalate of 

 zinc, and the zinc-salt of a new acid, was separated from the metallic zinc 

 by washing with water. It was then treated with an excess of hydrate of 

 baryta and boiled for a considerable time ; carbonic acid was afterwards 

 passed through the liquid until, on again boiling, the excess of baryta was 

 completely removed. To the filtered solution recently precipitated oxide 

 of silver was added until all iodine was removed. The solution separated 

 from the iodide of silver was again submitted to a current of carbonic acid, 

 boiled, and filtered. The resulting liquid, on being evaporated in the water- 

 bath, yielded a salt crystallizing in brilliant needles possessing the peculiar 

 odour of fresh butter. This Siilt is very soluble in water and in alcohol, 

 but nearly insoluble in ether, and perfectly neutral to test-papers. On 

 being submitted to analysis, it gave numbers closely corresponding with 

 the formula 



rcH3 

 I 



c,"x o 



I OH 



l^OBa 



The acid of this salt, for which we provisionally propose the name di- 

 methoooalic acid, is obtained by adding dilute sulphuric acid to the concen- 

 trated solution of the baryta-salt and agitating with ether. On allowing 

 the ether to evaporate spontaneously, prismatic crystals of considerable size 

 make their appearance. These yielded, on combustion with oxide of copper, 

 results nearly identical with those required by the formula 



CH3 



1 OH 



1^0 H 



