A Manual of the Chemistry of the Carbon Compounds

THE OASBON COMPOUNDS 91
posed. The dry residue yields, on distillation with water, aqueous
methyl alcohol, which ia dried ove* quicklime and again distilled
from a water bath.
The alcohol thus obtained is not quite pure. To prepare the pure
compound, purified wood Bpirit is carefully mixed with its own weight
of sulphuric acid, two parts of potassium binoxnlate are added, and
the mixture distilled As soon as crystals of methyl oxalate appear
in the neck of the retort, the receiver is changed and the distillation
continued as long as this compound conies over. These crystals are
finely powdered, pressed between filter paper, and dried over sulphuric
acid. On distilling the pure ether with water it splits up into methyl
alcohol and oxalic acid:—
The dilute methyl alcohol thus obtained is distilled from a water
bath, to remove the greater part of the water, dried over quicklime,
and rectiiied.
The winter-green oil from GaiUtheria prommbens, a plant indigenous
to North America, consists chiefly of the methyl ether of
salicylic acid. On distilling this oil with caustic potash pure methyl
alcohol is obtained.
Methyl alcohol is a colourless, mobile liquid, possessing a pure
spirituous smell; its specific gravity is 0-8142 at 0°, and it boils at
66°. It burns with a bluish non-huninous flame, and is miscible
with water in all proportions. With caustic baryta and with calcium
chloride it forms crystalline compounds which are decomposed
by water.
Methyl alcohol is used instead of spirits of wino as a solvent for
resins, essential oils, &c, for heating purposes, and in the manufacture
of aniline colours.
On oxidation it is converted into formic acid; this acid is also
formed by passing the vapour over heated soda-lime:—
CHyOH + NaOH = CHO.ONa + 2^
Potassium and sodium dissolve in methyl alcohol with the evolution
of hydrogen. On cooling, the compounds CH8.OK or CHs.ONa
crystallize out, whicli are decomposed by water, methyl alcohol and
caustic alkali being formed.
Methyl Chloride CHSC1 is obtained by heating a mixture of one
part of methyl alcohol and three ports of sulphuric acid with two
parts of common salt :—
CHyOH + NaCl + H(jSO4 « CH8C1 -t- NaHSO4 + H2O
It is a colourless gas, possessing an ethereal smell. When exposed
to a low temperature it is condensed to a mobile liquid, boiliug at