DR. E. FRANKLAND’S RESEARCHES ON ORGANO-METALLIC BODIES. 
271 
those which would be yielded by such a mixture, as is seen from the following corn- 
parison : — 
C 
Calculated. 
. . 25-52 
I. 
25-52 
II. 
25-30 
III. 
IV. 
Mean. 
25-43 
H 
. . 5-27 
5-29 
5-35 
5-32 
ZnO 
. 52-47 
— 
52-58 
52-20 
52-39 
0 
. . I6-74 
— 
16-86 
100-00 
100-00 
Nevertheless, 
the behaviour of the body obtained by first saturating the oxidized 
duct with water, and then drying over sulphuric acid in vacuo, convinces me that this 
body contains some other ingredient in addition to basic acetate of zinc ; for on gra- 
dually heating it to 100° C., it exhaled a peculiar ethereal odour and became of a 
bright yellow colour ; this ingredient is present, however, in small quantity only, and 
I have not succeeded in isolating it ; possibly it is either aldehyde, or some product 
of the action of zincethyl upon acetic acid. 
The most interesting reaction in the oxidation of zincethyl, and that to which I 
therefore directed my chief attention, is the formation of ethylate of zinc; not as 
regards the new compound of ether and zinc itself, but on account of the extraordi- 
nary modus operandi of the oxygen in its production. That ethyl, a body low down 
in the electro-positive series, should in this way unite with oxygen in the presence of 
a large excess of the intensely electro-positive zincethyl, is so remarkable and unex- 
pected an occurrence, that such a view of the reaction could not be credited, unless 
supported by additional evidence more conclusive than that already advanced ; espe- 
cially as the formation of ethylate of zinc admits of an equally simple explanation on 
the supposition, that the ether it contains is derived from that employed to dilute the 
zincethyl, and that the carbohydrogen of the zincethyl is evolved either in its inte- 
gral state, or transposed, as is usually the case, into hydride of ethyl and olefiant gas, 
C, H, Zn-f O-I-C4 H, 0 =C, H, O ZnO-f C, H,. 
The oxidation of pure zincethyl would have decided this important question; but 
as it is impossible to obtain a perfect oxidation of pure zincethyl, this method could 
not be adopted. A solution of zincethyl in benzole would probably have united the 
requisite conditions for a successful experiment ; but as I had no pure benzole at my 
command, and as the corresponding reactions of iodine, bromine and sulphur upon 
zincethyl furnish the key to this action of oxygen, I did not prosecute the inquiry 
further in this direction. 
Action of Iodine upon Zincethyl. 
Iodine acts upon zincethyl with great energy, and even with the evolution of heat 
and light, if a few grains of each be suddenly brought into contact. The violence of 
the action may, however, be conveniently moderated to any desired extent by the 
