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VIII. On a New Series of Organic Comjgounds containing Boron, 
By Br. E. Feankland, B.B.S, 
Eeceived May 15, — Eead May 22, 1862. 
The STibstitution of a compound organic radical for an elementary constituent in inorganic 
compounds has proved itself to be one of the most important and fertile fields of modern 
chemical investigation. The application of this species of substitution to the inorganic 
compounds of metals has called into existence an entirely new and extensive family of 
organic substances — the organo-metallic compounds, bodies never met with in nature, 
distinguished by their well-marked affinities, and capable in some instances of effecting, 
in their turn, numerous substitutions of a like character. The realization of a similar 
substitution in the case of certain inorganic compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus 
has, in the hands of Hofmaistv, not only enriched the science with a host of new and 
interesting compounds, but has also brought our knowledge of the organic bases to a 
degree of completeness, which cannot be rivalled in any other class of organic compounds. 
Lastly, attempts have not been wanting to extend these reactions to the oxygen com- 
pounds of the metalloids ; and although this portion of the field presents difficulties of a 
somewhat more formidable character, yet these attempts have not unfrequently been 
attended with success. Thus nitric oxide has been transformed into dinitroethylic and 
dinitromethylic acids*; sulphurous anhydride into ethylodithionic and methylotri- 
thionic acids f; and carbonic anhydride into propionic and acetic acids J. 
The last-named reaction, confirming, as it did, the view previously expressed by Kolbe 
and myself that organic compounds in general are nothing more than substitutions of 
this nature effected in carbonic oxide, in carbonic acid, and possibly in other inorganic 
compounds of carbon, naturally awakened a desire to extend this inquiry to the oxygen 
compounds of boron and silicon, which are usually regarded as possessing certain im- 
portant analogies with carbonic anhydride. With this end in view, boracic ether was 
submitted to the action of zincethyl by Mr. Duppa and myself. We found that the 
whole of the oxygen in boracic acid became replaced by ethyl, and in a short communi- 
cation to the Koyal Society |t, we described some of the properties of the remarkable 
body, boric ethide, thus formed. In the further study of this substance, and the exten- 
* Pliilosopliical Transactions for 1857, p. 59. 
t Journal of Chemical Society, vol. x. p. 55, and p. 243. 
} Ibid. vol. xi. p. 103 ; and Proceedings of the Eoyal Society, vol. x. p. 4. 
§ Ann. der Chem. und Pharm. Ed. ci. s. 257. Proceedings of the Eoyal Institution of jSrreat Britain for 
1858. 
II Proceedings of the Eoyal Society, vol. x. p. 568. 
