414 
CHEMICAL  RESEARCHES  ON  AMYLENE. 
ceiver  of  the  same  dimensions  with  the  reservoir  and  graduated 
in  the  same  manner.  Moreover,  certain  special  precautions  were 
observed,  and  every  thing  was  disposed  as  in  M.  Scottman's  ap- 
paratus for  the  production  of  ether.  The  refrigerator  was  filled 
with  ice,  and  the  distillation  was  carried  on  by  means  of  a  slow 
fire. 
The  operation  soon  began,  and  proportionally  as  the  liquid 
ascended  into  the  receiver,  I  caused  the  fluid  in  the  reservoir  to 
descend  into  the  cucurbit.  The  distillation  went  on  with  great 
rapidity,  and  I  suspended  it  in  a  short  time  after  exhausting  the 
reservoir.  The  product  separated  from  the  water  and  rectified 
in  a  glass  retort  by  means  of  a  water-bath,  was  by  no  means  pure 
amylene  ;  but  it  was  abundant.  It  possessed  a  somewhat  stronger 
odor  than  that  which  I  had  procured  by  means  of  the  concen- 
trated  chloride.  It  is  very  nearly  identical  with  the  amylene  of 
Dr.  Snow.  In  varying  the  proportions  and  the  state  of  concen- 
tration of  the  chloride,  I  hoped  that  this  apparatus  would  pro- 
duce good  results. 
VII.  — In  this  experiment  I  have  followed  the  process  of  M. 
Hepp,  which  consists  in  mixing  in  a  retort  equal  parts  of  amylic 
alcohol  and  the  chloride  of  zinc  at  70  degrees  of  the  aerometer 
ofBaume,  agitating  the  distilled  product  with  an  equal  volume 
of  sulphuric  acid,  separating  the  acid,  and  then  rectifying  by 
means  of  the  water-bath.  The  boiling  of  this  amylene  com- 
menced at  H-889  F.  and  was  carried  to  +147°  F. 
VIII.  — The  experiment  similar  to  the  preceding,  with  the  ex- 
clusion of  sulphuric  acid  :  The  product  being  simply  rectified  by 
means  of  the  water-bath  at  the  temperature  of  +140°  F.,  and 
agitated  for  a  long  time  with  one-eighth  of  its  weight  of  dry 
chloride  of  zinc,  and  again  distilled,  an  amylene  resulted,  the 
ebullition  of  which  commenced  at  +  86°  F.,  and  required  at  the 
end  4-122°.  The  chloride  of  zinc  is  to  be  preferred,  because  it 
does  not  develop,  like  sulphuric  acid,  a  disagreeable  odor. 
IX.  — Dissolving  in  water  the  chloride  of  zinc,  still  impregnated 
with  the  amylene  of  the  eighth  experiment,  an  oily  liquor  came 
to  the  surface  of  this  solution.  This  oil,  heated  in  a  water-bath 
to  100°  for  an  hour,  was  not  volatilized.  Testing  it  with  potash, 
valerianic  acid  was  produced.  Thus  amylene,  rectified  by  the 
water-bath  below  140°  F.,  retains  a  great  deal  of  amylic  alcohol ; 
