ALCOHOL, SPIRIT OF WOOD, AND ETHERS. 
47 
be wholly changed by the etherifying chlorides, producing 
hydrochloric acid and an oxide. This mode of viewing the 
phenomena of etherification affords a ready explanation of how 
sulphuric acid is able to convert successively into ether an 
almost unlimited amount of alcohol of a suitable strength, add- 
ed by little and little to the etherifying mixture ; it is not ne- 
cessary to introduce an occult force as proposed by MM. 
Mitscherlich and Berzelius. 
By considering etherification by a hydrated acid as the re- 
sult of the decomposition of a bisulphate of alcohol or of ether, 
(sulphovinic acid,) the reaction is accounted for by attributing 
basic properties to water. Water does, in fact, play a part in 
these reactions, for I have well ascertained that, although 2 
atoms of anhydrous acid do not yield ether with 1 of alco- 
hol, on account of the excess of acid, yet a much larger propor- 
portion of ether is obtained by using 2 atoms of hydrated 
acid. 
In every case of etherification, it is necessary that the de- 
composition of the alcoholic compounds should take place at 
130° to 140° to yield ether. The evidence of this fact will be 
found in the last part of my essay. 
5. I have ascertained that when we distil in vacuo, a mix- 
ture of 2 atoms of anhydrous sulphuric acid and 1 of absolute 
alcohol, a mixture which, under ordinary circumstances, yields 
ether, ebullition commences at 50° ; alcohol distills up to 140°, 
at which temperature oil of wine and water without ether 
pass over. 
With etherifying chlorides the results are analogous ; they 
do not form a sensible quantity of hydrochloric ether, but 
with these the oil does not distil even at 160°. 
In the reaction of sulphuric acid, the formation of oil of 
wine without ether at 104°, after a disengagement of alcohol, 
is worthy of remark ; it shows that for etherification in gene- 
ral the temperature of about 140° is absolutely necessary. 
As to the oily carburets, they may be obtained even in the 
cold ; as is demonstrated by the slow action of fluoride of bo- 
ron on absolute alcohol. 
