MEECUEIC, STANNIC, AND PLUMBIC ETHYLS. 42o 
Action of Zincethyl on Chloride of Mercury. 
Having thus effected the reduction of an organo-metailic salt through zincethyl, it was 
important to see how far an ordinary iodide or chloride would follow the same deport- 
ment. Corrosive sublimate produces much heat when mixed with zincethyl, so much 
so as to render it necessary to cool the retort by water or other means, to prevent waste 
of the zincethyl. 
After breaking up the cake of chloride of zinc which is formed, the radical may be 
obtained in considerable quantity by distillation, and washing the product with dilute 
acid, as before described. Excess of mercuric chloride, however, must be carefully 
avoided, as chloride of mercurous ethyl would be produced according to the equations, 
Zn C, H,+Hg Cl=Hg C, H,-f Zn Cl ; 
by addition of mercuric chloride, 
Hg a H,+Hg Cl=Hg, C, H, Cl. 
Although this process gives certain and good results,, it will not be found so econo- 
mical in practice as that previously noticed. Iodide of mercurous ethyl is readily made ; 
and by its employment it is very obvious that a less consumption of zincethyl is required. 
Action of Zincethyl on Chlorides of Silver, Copper, and Platinum. 
Dry powdered chloride of silver strongly reacts on zincethyl, turning quite black and 
liberating much gas. The chloride, however, seems to be incapable of decomposing 
the whole of the zinc radical, even when in excess and heat is applied. The clear liquid 
was removed by a pipette and treated with water, which extracted simply chloride of 
zinc, and isolated no silver compound. The black matter in the retort contained a 
mixture of chloride and metallic silver. 
In another expeiiment anhydrous ether was employed instead of water, under the 
supposition that a solid silver compound might be present, which was soluble in ether. 
The only reaction, however, seemed to be, 
Zn C, H,+Ag C\=Zi\ Cl-f Ag+C, H^. 
Results have also been negative Avith reference to the formation of radicals containing 
copper or platinum. ^ 
Protochloride of copper immediately loses its green colour on mixing with zincethyl, 
a circumstance very probably due to a loss of traces of water. No combination is 
effected ; and on exposure to the air, the black powder speedily recovers its green hue. 
Well-dried protochloride of platinum decomposes zincethyl into chloride of zinc and 
gaseous matter. The metal is reduced in the form of platinum black. 
Stannic Piethyl. 
Much of the uncertainty which attaches to the compounds styled by Lowio, in his 
laborious re.searches, ethyl-stanethyl,” “ aceto-stanethyl,” &c., is doubtless due to the 
3 K 2 
