Chemistry / by George Wilson.

  • Wilson, George, 1818-1859.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chemistry / by George Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    291/340 (page 285)
    1133. The salts of ethyle are generally called ethers—as nitric ether, chloric ether, acetic ether. These compound ethers are produced by heating- together the acid, whose ether is wished, with alcohol. They require to be cautiously pre- pared, owing to their combustibility. 1134. The following ether, the acetic, may be prepared as a characteristic specimen of its class, and no difficulty or danger attends its production. 1135. Equal measures of strong- acetic acid, C4H3O0 + HO, and alcohol are distilled together, the condensing receiver being kept very cool. The acetic acid unites with the oxide of ethyle in the alcohol, forming acetic ether, C4H50,C4H303. Or E being taken as the symbol for ethyle, E0,C4H303. The liquid in the receiver is shaken with water, to separate un- altered alcohol; then allowed to stand upon chalk, to neutralise any free acid; and afterwards shaken with fused chloride of calcium, to remove water. It is then distilled a second time. Acetic ether is a volatile, limpid, colourless liquid, having an aromatic taste, and very grateful odour. 1136. When a hydracid, such as hydrochloric, acts upon alcohol so as to convert it into an ether, the hydrogen of the acid combines with the oxygen of the oxide of ethyle to form water, and the salt-radical (in the case supposed, the chlorine) combines with the ethyle directly. Thus chloric ether is EC1. Acetic Acid. 1137. If alcohol, diluted with water, be mixed with a ferment, such as yeast, and exposed to the air at, or a little above, its ordinary temperature, it is rapidly converted into vinegar or acetic acid. The change is accompanied by the absorption of oxygen, 2 atoms of which combine with as many of hydrogen to form water, whilst other 2 take the place of the hydrogen which has become water, so that acetic acid is produced from alcohol by the substitution of 2 atoms of oxygen for 2 of hydrogen. Thus alcohol is C4Hfi02. If we take from this 2 atoms of hydrogen, and add 2 of oxygen, it becomes C4H404. But from the mode in which acetic acid acts when it combines with bases, it is certain that one of the equivalents of hydrogen and one of oxygen are united as water, so that the formula of acetic acid is C4H303 + HO. 1138. The change which alcohol undergoes, when it be- comes acetic acid, may be expressed in symbols shortly thus:— C4H60„ —H, + 02 = C4H,04, or C_H,03 + HO. 1139. A striking experiment may be made illustrating the s