ON THE THEORY OF THE FORMATION OF COMPOUND ETHERS

Scientific American Supplement, No. 392, July 7, 1883 by Various, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here. ON THE THEORY OF THE FORMATION OF COMPOUND ETHERS.

ON THE THEORY OF THE FORMATION OF COMPOUND ETHERS.

In a note presented to the Industrial Society of Mulhouse, A. Pabst discusses the different stages in the formation of compound ethers, as Williamson has explained the production of ordinary ethers by the action of sulphuric acid upon alcohol. Pabst has observed that the compound ethers are formed in an analogous manner. If alcohol, sulphuric acid, and acetic acid are heated together, acetic ether, we know, is formed.

Pabst has shown that it takes place in three stages. In the first stage, ethyl sulphuric acid and water are formed; in the second, acetate of ethyl with the reproduction of sulphuric acid, which again converts a fresh quantity of alcohol into ethyl sulphuric acid.

(1) C2H5OH+HO,SO2OH = C2H5O,SO2OH+H2O.
(Alcohol.) (Sulphuric acid.) (Ethyl sulphuric acid.)

(2) C2H5O,SO2OH+C2H3O,OH =
(Ethyl sulphuric acid.) (Acetic acid.)

C2H5O,C2H3O+HO,SO2HO.
(Acetate of ethyl.) (Sulphuric acid.)

Pabst proved this by letting methyl sulphuric acid act upon a mixture of acetic acid and ethyl alcohol. He obtained by this process acetate of methyl and ethyl sulphuric acid. By the continued action of ethyl alcohol and acetic acid upon this mixture, of course, acetate of ethyl was formed. At the conclusion of the operation there was no longer any methyl sulphuric acid present in the liquid.

In the course of his investigations, Pabst was led to a very practical method for preparing acetate of methyl, which consists in heating ethyl sulphuric acid to 135° or 140° C, and allowing a mixture of equal molecules of strong alcohol and acetic acid to flow into it.

The details of his experiments and the method of purification will be published by the society.

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