ON PYROACETIC SPIRIT. 
209 
white mass, which, on exposure to a higher temperature, 
swells, blackens, and finally, burns; leaving a residue of 
phosphate of soda. Its formula is P 2 5 +C 6 H 5 + NaO-f 5HO. 
Of Ptelyl. 
Ptelyl is a name given by Mr. Kane to a hypothetical 
radical, which he supposed might be the radical of ulmic acid. 
The formula which he gives for it, is OH 3 , and states that 
mesitylene may be considered as a hyduret of ptelyl, and ex- 
pressed by the formula C 6 H 3 + H. The supposition that a 
radical of this composition exists, is only useful for the pur- 
pose of explaining the nature of some of the following com- 
pounds, but it would seem, upon the accurate examination of 
the results of the analysis given, that its adoption at present 
is rather premature, as the analytic results do not coincide 
with sufficient accuracy with the formula given. 
In accordance with the above hypothesis, the name of 
chloride of ptelyl is given to a substance obtained by the 
action of chlorine gas upon mesitylene. In this process the 
chlorine is absorbed abundantly, heat is evolved, and efferves- 
cence takes place from the free liberation of hydrochloric acid 
gas; small needle-shaped crystals form at the edge of the 
liquid, and finally the whole solidifies. Ether, having been 
boiled upon this crystalline mass, deposits on cooling, bril- 
liant, white, four-sided prisms, which may be completely pu- 
rified by successive solutions and crystallizations. The crys- 
tals thus obtained are not soluble in water, and are not acted 
upon by a solution of potassa. They are volatile at a high tem- 
perature, without decomposition, and, in fact, appear to be the 
most stable of the compounds formed with a radical of me- 
sitic alcohol. The analysis of two portions of the crystals 
gave the following results: 
1. — 0.352 of crystals gave carbonic acid, 0.645 
water, 0.145 
2. — 0.549 carbonic acid, 0.976 
water, 0.215 
