4 
ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. 
“ The recent ingenious researches of M. Berthelot have greatly 
extended this branch of chemical inquiry, and have, in a most im¬ 
portant degree, increased the number of bodies capable of artificial 
formation. The production of chloride of methyl and the members of 
the olefiant gas family up to amylene (C 10 H 10 ) furnish us with the 
whole series of alcohols and their derivatives, from arnylic alcohol 
downwards. Phenylic alcohol and naphthaline, both artificially pro¬ 
duced by Berthelot, yield a host of interesting bodies; whilst phenyl- 
carbamic acid enables us to step from the phenylic to the salicylic 
group, since, when treated with hyponitrous acid it yields salicylic 
acid. Lastly, M. Berthelot has succeeded in artificially forming gly¬ 
cerine, the basis of animal and vegetable oils and fats, and also in 
forming grape sugar; the latter, however, is obtained by the contact 
of glycerine with putrifying animal matter, and consequently cannot 
be said to be produced altogether without the agency of vitality; al¬ 
though the putrifying organic matter contributes none of its consti¬ 
tuents to the new compound, and does not undergo any appreciable 
change in weight or appearance during the process. These substances 
yield such a numerous class of derivatives that upwards of 700 distinct 
organic compounds can now be produced from their elements without 
the agency of vitality.” 
He further adds: 
“ It has long been known that, with slight and unimportant excep¬ 
tions, the only materials employed by nature in the construction of the 
most complex organic compounds, are carbonic acid, water, ammonia, 
and nitric acid. The fact that a vast number of organic compounds 
are cast in the molecular mould of water, has been proved by the inge¬ 
nious researches of Williamson and Gerhardt; whilst the wonderful 
fertility of the ammonia model has been amply demonstrated by the 
labours of Hofmann and Wurtz. It would also not be difficult to prove 
the claim of nitric acid to be considered as a third model, upon which a 
number of other organic compounds are built up.” 
Confining his attention to the consideration of carbonic 
acid only, as a model upon which a very large number of 
organic bodies are formed, the following diagrams are given 
by him as illustrative : 
1. The replacement of one atom of oxygen in carbonic acid by hy¬ 
drogen, or its homologues, produces an organic acid, either of the fatty 
or of the aromatic series, thus : 
Carbonic Acid. Acetic Acid. Benzoic Acid. 
H s) 
r° 
r(C 2 H) 
/• 
<v 
0 
0 
C 2 < 
0 
0 
c - 
lo 
L o 
to 
(C, 2 
o 
o 
o 
2. The like replacement of two atoms of oxygen in carbonic acid 
produces either a ketone, or an aldehyde, thus : 
Carbonic Acid . Acetone. 
Aldehyde. 
r 0 
r(c 2 h 3 ) 
C 2 h 3 
f 
0 
0 
(C 2 H 3 ) 
o 
(V 
H 
0 
cA 
uO 
L o 
L o 
1 
C 12 H 
H 
O 
O 
