1870.] 



Acids of the Sulphur Series. 



503 



ethylic chloride to a liquid, which fumes strongly in the air ; this treated 

 with water yielded him an oily product, which, however, could not be dis- 

 tilled without undergoing decomposition. 



Robert Williamson * also made experiments on the formation of this 

 compound, and, from the amount of anhydride and ethylic chloride enter- 

 ing into the reaction, came to the conclusion that it was the ethylic com- 

 pound, homologous with Williamson's sulphuric chlorhydrate, which he 

 also, by an analogous process, succeeded in obtaining by the action of hydric 

 chloride on sulphuric anhydride. 



Excepting these two short notices, nothing was known of the properties 

 and constitution of this body ; and it therefore appeared to me of interest 

 to submit it to a more close examination. 



Whilst occupied therewith, a paper of Pourgold's f appeared on the same 

 subject, by the series of reactions described in which it is proved that the 

 formula ascribed to it by Robert Williamson is in reality the rational one. 



Thus further experiments of mine in this direction were rendered unne- 

 cessary. 



According to my observations, however, the simple formation of this one 

 chloride is not the only phase of the reaction. One always obtains, as Pour- 

 gold also mentions, considerable quantities of products of higher boiling- 

 point ; and I have found that, by heating the same some time with water 

 in a sealed tube at 120° C, afterwards evaporating to drive off the hydric 

 chloride formed, and neutralizing with baric carbonate, a permanent salt 

 was obtained, which by analysis was proved to have the composition of 

 baric isethionate. 



The formation of the chloride from which this salt has resulted is cer- 

 tainly remarkable, although easily explicable, as seen by the following 

 equation : — 



C^H.Cl+SO^C.H.HOJg^ 



Again, on one occasion the impure liquid obtained directly by passing 

 the ethylic chloride into a flask containing the sulphuric anhydride, kept 

 cool by being surrounded with ice, had, on standing over night, deposited 

 a quantity of large, irregular, prismatic needles, of an exceedingly decom- 

 posable nature, the composition of which I unfortunately did not succeed 

 in fixing, and on no future occasion was T able to obtain the same again. 

 I intend, however, shortly to renew the study of these by-products, and 

 also of the analogous reactions on employment of methylic and amylic 

 chlorides. 



The extension of these experiments to the chlorinated chlorides of the 

 C n IL>. l + 1 series was full of interest, as, commencing with carbonic tetra- 

 chloride, there was a certain possibility of arriving by this means at a 

 trichlormethylic alcohol. I therefore entered upon the investigation with 



* Chem. Soc. Quart. Journ. x. p. 100. t Comp. Rend. Ixvii. p. 452. 



