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XI. Reseai'ches on Organo-metalUc Bodies. — Second Memoir. Zincethyl. 
By E. Frankland, Ph.D., F.R.S., 
Professor of Chemistry in Owens College, Manchester. 
Received February 9, — Read March 15, 1855. 
In a former memoir on organic compounds containing metals*, after describing the 
preparation, composition, and properties of zincrnethyl, I mentioned the correspond- 
ing formation of the homologous compounds zincethyl and zincamyl ; but although 
the composition of these latter bodies was to a certain extent fixed, by the study of 
the products of their decomposition in contact with water, yet the difficulty of pro- 
curing them in sufficient quantity, by digesting the iodides of methyl, ethyl, and amyl, 
with zinc, in strong glass tubes at high temperatures, was so great, that I could 
neither extend their investigation further, nor succeed in rendering even the history 
of zincrnethyl quite complete. In pursuance, however, of the intention announced in 
the memoir just alluded to, I subsequently commenced studying the action of these 
bodies upon certain organic compounds containing chlorine and other electro-nega- 
tive elements, with a view to replace these elements by the groups H3, C4 Hj, &c., 
but meeting with some unexpected results, it appeared to me highly desirable, first 
to complete the history of at least one of the orgauo-zinc compounds, before pi'oceed- 
ing further with the substitution experiments. 
From the comparative facility with which the materials for the preparation of 
zincethyl can be procured, I selected this body as the subject of my experiments; 
and as it was necessary to prepare it in much larger quantities than heretofore, which 
could not be accomplished without great danger in sealed glass tubes heated in an 
oil-bath, I availed myself of the proximity of Mr. Nasmyth to get constructed two 
vessels of enormous strength, in which these operations might be conducted, on a 
tolerably large scale, without risk of dangerous explosions ; and I take this oppor- 
tunity of thanking that eminent engineer for the very kind and effectual manner in 
which he carried out my views with regard to these instruments, both of whicli are 
quite indispensable for the prosecution of researches with organo- metallic bodies in 
general, but especially witli those containing zinc. 
The one I will first describe is employed as a Papin’s digester, and sealed glass 
tubes can be heated in it to any temperature below redness. It is constructed 
entirely of Low Moor wrought iron, and consists of a cylinder. A, A (fig. 1), closed 
MDCCCLV. 
* Transactions of the Royal Society, 1852, p. 417. 
2 N 
