IV. Notes of synthetical researches on ethers.—No. I. Synthesis of butyric and caproic ethers from acetic ether

For some time past we have been engaged in the study of the consecutive action of sodium and the iodides of methyl and ethyl upon acetic ether. When iodide of methyl is used, the chief products of the reaction are two ethereal bodies possessing respectively formulae, which we will provisionally write as follows:— C O" C O" C4 H7 C5 H9 C2 H2 } O2 C2 H5 } O2 . These bodies are decomposed, even in the cold, by baryta-water, yielding barium carbonate, alcohol, and two new ethereal liquids having formulae which, without expressing any opinion as to their nature or constitution, may be thus written :—