416 
CHEMICAL  RESEARCHES  ON  AMYLENE. 
indicate  the  presence  of  potato-oil,  and  perhaps  a  little  ether 
derived  from  the  alcoholic  oil ;  but  it  is  especially  probable  that 
this  reaction  takes  place  between  the  metal  and  the  elements  of 
the  amylic  alcohol,  in  which  is  found  two  equivalents  of  water. 
Moreover,  there  is  potato-oil  found  in  it  by  agitating  with  por- 
tions of  potash,  which  is  slightly  humid,  and  there  is  here  soon 
developed  the  odor  of  valerianic  acid,  rendered  still  more  sensible 
by  the  addition  of  sulphuric  acid. 
Purification  of  Amylene. 
Knowing  that  the  amylenes  in  actual  use  are  but  mixtures 
of  amylene,  the  isomeric  carburets  and  amylic  alcohol,  and  hav- 
ing proven  by  experiment  the  difficulties  that  are  to  be  encountered 
in  obtaining  the  absolute  amylene  (C10  H10)  of  M.  Balard,  and 
desiring  to  obtain  the  type  of  this  product,  I  continued  my  ex- 
periments on  rectification.  Already  it  had  occurred  to  me  that 
at  0,  very  low  temperature,  with  the  water,  both  amylic  alcohol 
obstinately  passes  over  with  the  amylene,  but  that  happily  this 
alcohol  can  be  separated  by  the  chloride  of  zinc.  I  treated  at 
iseveral  times  impure  amylene  with  this  salt  in  its  dry  state,  re- 
distilling many  times,  and  I  have  thus  obtained  a  liquid  which  is 
neutral  in  the  presence  of  potassium.  But  by  the  test  of  the 
thermometer,  I  have  still  realized  the  inconstancy  of  the  boiling 
point.  These  repeated  rectifications  had  caused  the  loss  of  the 
very  volatile  elements  which  boil  between  +  84°  and  -f  93°  ;  and 
on  the  other  hand  the  extreme  of  +  140°  was  reduced  to  4-  113°. 
I  then  obtained  a  fluid  which  boiled  between  93°  and  113°.  I 
thereupon,  for  the  last  time,  put  the  fluid  in  the  retort,  and  I 
collected  none  save  the  part  which  distilled  fixed  at  +  95°.  This 
time  I  procured  the  pure  amylene  of  M.  Balard — but  at  what 
price  !  I  obtained  f?rty  grammes  of  amylene  (ten  drachms) 
from  five  litres  (tent  pints)  of  amylic-alcohol !  We  must  surely 
hope  better  things  on  the  score  of  economy. 
To  sum  up,  the  essential  character  of  amylene  is :  1,  to  boil 
at  +  95°  E.  fixed ;  2,  to  possess  no  action  on  potassium,  and  to 
preserve  this  metal  like  the  oil  of  naphtha  ;  3,  to  receive  no  color- 
ing from  the  presence  of  caustic  potash  even  when  prolonged; 
4,  to  give  birth  to  no  valerianic  acid  under  the  action  of  the 
hydrate  of  potash, — New  Orleans  Medical  and  SurgicalJournal, 
July,  1857, 
