344 
ON  THE  OXYPHENIC  ACID  OP  WOOD-VINEGAR. 
The  acid  may  also  be  obtained  directly  from  the  wood-vinegar 
without  previous  evaporation  by  agitation  with  ether.  The  mix- 
ture is  then  left  to  separate,  the  ether  is  distilled  off,  and  the 
residue  agitated  with  a  saturated  solution  of  chloride  of  sodium. 
The  oil  separates  completely  from  this  solution,  and  the  acid  is 
afterwards  extracted  from  the  solution  by  repeated  agitation  with 
ether.  If  the  ether  be  then-  distilled  off,  a  fluid  remains,  from 
which  the  acid  separates  in  crystals.  The  acid  may  also  be  ob- 
tained from  the  residue  by  sublimation  in  a  current  of  carbonic 
acid. 
The  acid  thus  produced  crystallizes  in  very  lustrous  laminae, 
belonging  to  the  rhombic  system  ;  it  fuses  at  231°-8  F.,  and 
volatilizes  even  at  its  melting-point ;  the  vapor  provokes  sneezing. 
It  has  exactly  the  reactions  of  oxyphenic  acid.    Analyses  : — 
I.  II. 
C            68-26  68-39  12  65-45 
H               5-91           5-96  6  5.46 
O              25-47  25-65  4  29-09 
The  analyses  are, — I.,  of  acid  fused  in  a  porcelain  tray  ;  II., 
of  acid  sublimed  and  fused. 
The  author  explains  the  excess  of  carbon  and  hydrogen  by 
the  adhesion  of  a  little  hydrocarbon  to  the  acid.  The  lead-salt 
A,  dried  at  212°  F.,  contained  70-08  per  cent,  of  oxide  of  lead; 
the  salt  B,  dried  at  239°  F.,  contained  71*76  per  cent,  of  oxide 
of  lead.  The  analyses  of  these  salts  gave — ■ 
A.  B. 
 A  
22-60  22-23  22-13  22-78  12  22-78 
H  1-58        1-48        1-39        1-27        4  1-27 
0  5-74        6-21        4-72        5-06        2  5-06 
PbO  70-08  70  08  71-76  70-89  2  70-89 
The  author  considers  it  not  improbable  that  this  acid  may  be 
produced  from  carbolic  acid  during  the  dry  distillation  of  wood. 
It  always  accompanies  the  products  of  the  dry  distillation  of 
wood,  but  does  not  occur  in  coal-tar. — Qhem.  Gfraz.,  March  15, 
from  Leibigs  Annalen,  xcvi.  p.  186. 
