Theoretical Discussion. 
449 
The coefficients of association as determined by Ramsay and 
Shields have been employed in preference to those by Traube 1 
because the method of the former has a better theoretical basis, 
and the results are more in accord with those of other investi¬ 
gators. Traube gives for the value of the coefficient of asso¬ 
ciation for benzene 1.18, for toluene 1.08, ethylene chloride 
1.46; and not any of these solvents yield solutions that con¬ 
duct. Then he gives values for the esters that are very much 
in excess of the determinations of other investigators, whereas 
the values for the alcohols are very much less. For example, 
for methyl alcohol he gives as the coefficient of association 1.79; 
for ethyl alcohol 1.67; for propyl alcohol 1.55; for allyl alcohol 
1.53, and for water 3.06. (Compare with the values given in 
Table I.) 
Many compounds, whose molecules are polymerized, yield so¬ 
lutions that conduct, and there are solvents whose molecules 
are supposed to be polymerized that do not yield solutions that 
conduct; and if Traube’s results be taken, a large number of 
examples could be given in addition to those cited above. It 
has also been pointed out that there are a considerable number 
of solvents, whose molecules are apparently not polymerized, 
yet whose solutions conduct well,—for example, benzonitile 
ethyl acetoacetate, etc. 
From the considerations presented in the preceding, it ap¬ 
pears that the theory as promulgated by Dutoit and Friderich, 
that only polymerized solvents yield solutions that conduct, is 
untenable. 
Sometime before Dutoit and Friderich published their conclu¬ 
sions, Crompton 2 assigned a wider role to the associative prop¬ 
erty of liquids. He presents the view, that by means of this 
theory of association the anomalous results obtained, in the 
case of certain dissolved substances, electrolytes, by the boiling 
point, freezing point, and osmotic pressure determinations, can 
be easily explained; and aims to show that the electrolytic dis¬ 
sociation theory is not only unnecessary but in many respects 
1 Ber. chem. Ges. Berlin , 30, 273-4; 1897. 
2 Jour. Chem. Soc., 71, ii, 925; 1897. 
