XLV. Theory of ætherification

W HEN sulphurlc acid is brought in contact with alcohol under certain circumstances, a new arrangement is effected in the elements of the alcohol, which divide into two t~oups~ forming ~ther and water.Now it is well known that e process by which this change is effected may be represented in two ways, the difference of which consists in their respectively selecting for starting-point a difIhrent view of the constitution of alcohol.According to the one view, an atom of alcohol weighs 2S~ and is made up of C 2 H 6 O; so that to form ~ether, two atoms of it are needed, one of which takes C a H 4 from the other, setting free the water with which these elements were combined; whereas, according to the other view, alcohol weighs 46, and contains rather and water.These are not the only points of difference which are urged ; but they are the most real and tangible, and their consideration is sufficient for our present purpose.If by any direct fact we could decide which of these two expressions is the correct one, the ground would be clear for an examination of the process of ~etherification itself.In order to show more clearly the true meaning of the facts I have to adduce on this poin b 1 will bring them before you in the order in which they arose, My object in commencing the experiments was to obtain new alcohols by substituting carburetted hydrogen for hydrogen in a known alcohol.With this view I had recourse to an expedient, which may render valuable services on similar occasions.It consisted in replacing the hydrogen first by potassium, and acting upon the compound thus formed by the chloride or iodide of the carburetted hydrogen which was to be introduced in the place of that hydrogen.I commenced with common alcohol, which, after careful purification, was saturated with potassium~ and as soon as the action bad ceased, mixed with a portion of iodide of eethyle equivalent to the potassium used.Iodide of potassium was readily formed on the application of a gentle heat, and the desired substitution was effected ; but, to my astonishment, the compound thus formed had none of the properties of an alcohol--it; was nothing else than common rather, C a H 10 O. Now this result at once struck me as being inconsistent with the higher formula of alcohol ; for if that body contained twice as many atoms of oxygen as are in ,ether, I ought clearly