1897 - 98 .] On Ethyl Potassium Diethoxysuccinate. 257 
produced, the oxal-acetic acid first formed giving oxalic acid and 
acetic acid. 
The half saponification of the diethoxysuccinic ether was effected 
in the usual way by means of alcoholic potash in the cold. The 
ethyl potassium salt is easily soluble in alcohol and in water. 
Upon electrolysis of the concentrated aqueous solution, the 
number of volts being 12 and of amperes 3 to 4, an oil was 
formed, which was soluble to a slight extent in water. This oil was 
removed with ether, and the ethereal solution dried over ignited 
sodium sulphate. On distilling off the ether a faintly yellow- 
coloured oil was left, having a strong odour. From this oil, on 
standing in the desiccator, large rhombic plates crystallised out, 
these were drained off, freed from oil by pressing in filter paper, 
and dried on porous tile. 
Analysis gave numbers which agreed fairly closely with the 
theoretical numbers for tetraethoxy-adipic ether, namely : — 
0T37g substa'nce yielded 0T178gH 2 O and 0"2851gCO 2 . 
Theory. 
C . . . 56*76% 57-14% 
H . . . 9-55% 9-00% 
A molecular weight determination by Beckmann’s boiling point 
method, using ether as solvent, gave the molecular weight 326 
instead of 378. 
This crystalline electrolytic product is very stable, being unacted 
on by 10% alcoholic potash in the heat and by 20% alcoholic 
potash in the cold. On boiling with aqueous baryta it was pos- 
sible to detect the formation of alcohol by means of the iodoform 
and the benzoyl chloride tests, but the ester appears to suffer 
decomposition by this treatment. 
On treating with concentrated hydrochloric acid no ketipic 
acid is formed. It therefore appears probable that the electrolysis 
product is the diacetal derivative of aa diketoadipic ether, 
EtO-CO-C(OEt) 2 -CH 2 -CH 2 -C(OEt) 2 -CO-OEt. 
We are engaged in the investigation of this point as well as 
in experiments on the non- crystalline product of electrolysis. 
