According to Lob and Lorenz,3 when ethyl alcohol is electrolysed in sulphuric acid solution the final products are aldehyde, acetic ester, formic ester, ethyl sulphuric acid, and ethylidene oxy.ethyl ether [CH3CH(OH)OC2H5]. In nitric acid solution, in addition to these oxidation products, carbon derivatives of ammonia have been observed at the negative pole.

1 Compt. rend., 1914, 158, 1892.

2 J. Russ. Phys. Ghem. Soc, 1908, 40, 887.908; Chem. Zentr., 1908, 2, 1568; J. Soc. Chem. Ind., 1909, 28, 853.

3 " Electrochemistry of Organic Compounds," 1906, p. 60.

In hydrochloric acid solutions, chloro.acetic acids occur, as well as oxidation products, whilst in alkaline solution an aldehyde resin is obtained. Finally, with alcohol in aqueous solution, after addition of potassium acetate, the products were ethane, carbon dioxide, acetic ester, and potassium ethyl carbonate.

Dielectric constant. . Walden1 has found the following values of this constant for ethyl alcohol: -

Temperature

Diel. const. K.

1.5° .......................

28.8

18.5o ........................

25.4

49.2° ........................

20.8

Electric absorption. . The following data are due to P. Beaulard.2 For convenience, the figures relating to methyl and propyl alcohols are also included.

Length of wave.

Metres.

True specific inductive power.

Apparent spec. induct.

power.

Methyl alcohol...............................

12

33.28

2.567

35

33.31

4.303

Ethyl alcohol..................................

12

25

3.701

35

25

4.565

Propyl alcohol................................

12

13.32

3.347

35

13.30

4.950

Specific inductive powers of mixtures of ethyl alcohol and water (Beaulard and Maury).3

Alcohol, per cent.

Apparent spec. induct. power.

λ = 35 m.

λ = 12 m.

99

4.876

3.684

97

4.775

3.825

95

4.648

4.969

90

4.531

3.700

85

4.312

3.486

80

4.152

3.505

70

6120

3.892

60

5.761

3.903

50

5.144

3.162

40

4.562

3.629

30

4.501

3.588

15

4.956

3.456

0

4.418

3.592

1 Zeitsch. physikal. Chem., 1910, 70, 573. 2 Compt. rend., 1910, 151, 56, 3 Jown. de Phys., 1910, [iv], 9, 43.

The molecular magnetic rotation of ethyl alcohol was found by Perkin1 to be 2780.