New Carluret of Hydrogen. 
337 
colourless, oily liquid, boiling at about 500 F. It may be dis- 
tilled on potassium. The analysis of this product resembles 
t%t pf methylene and bi-carburetted hydrogen, but its for- 
. ula is C 64 IF 4 . 
It evidently results from the preparation of this body and 
the analysis of ethal, that this latter must be represented by 
C 64 H 64 O 3 , that is, equal volumes of the new carburet and 
water. Distilled with phosphoric acid, it loses its water and 
the carburet becomes free. Ethal is therefore a new alcohol, 
and as it is produced during the saponification of spermaceti, 
we shall give the name of cetene to the carburetted hydrogen,, 
and ethal will become a bi-hydrate of cetene. 
When a mixture of ethal and perchloride of phosphorus is 
distilled, a liquid, oily product is obtained, boiling at about 600 F. 
and burning with a green edged flame ; this is a chlorhydrate 
of cetene C 64 N 64 Ch 3 H 3 . It is a compound of equal volumes 
of cetene and chlorlrydric acid, exactly similar to corres- 
ponding compounds of methylene and alcohol. On adding 
concentrated sulphuric acid to ethal, a sulphocetic acid is 
formed which is solid. The sulphocetate of potash closely 
resembles a soap ; it crystallises in alcohol. It is formed of 
C 64 H 64 SO + KO, SO 3 X K 3 O. This formula is precisely 
similar to that of the sulphovinate of potash. Finally, sper- 
maceti is a definite compound of one atom of oleic acid, one 
atom of margaric acid, three atoms of cetene and three 
atoms of water. 
These facts are sufficient to establish the theory of cetene 
and its various combinations ; they prove that spermaceti is 
a body analogous to the ethers ; and ethal a compound simi- 
lar to alcohol and spirit of wood. The saponification of 
spermaceti takes place in an analogous manner, to the de- 
composition of the compound ethers by potash. The analogy 
between the fatty bodies and the ethers, already pointed out 
by MM. Chevreul and Dumas is verified as regards sperma- 
ceti. Journ, de Pilar m* 
Vol. L— No. 4, 
43 
