A Manual of the Chemistry of the Carbon Compounds

THE CARBON COMPOUNDS. 219
met with amongst the products formed by the action of nitric acid upon
many carbon compounds. Thus all fatty acids containing more than
four atoms of carbon, when boiled with nitric acid yield succinic acid
and other acids of the same series,
Succinic acid is also produced by different kinds of fermentation,
in small quantities in vinous fermentation, in larger quantities in the
fermentation of malic acid, which acid, as well as tartaric acid, is
also readily converted into succinic acid by reduction {vide these
acids),
Succinic acid has also been obtained artificially from acetic acid,
ethene, and /8 chloropropionic acid:-—
(1) "When sodacetic ether is heated with ethyl chloracetate, ethyl
succinate is formed:—
CO.OCaH6 OO.OC2H6
CHjjNa OH2
I ' +NaCl
CHaCl ~ CI CH2
CO.OC2H6 CO.O2H6
(2) SucdnonitrUe C2H4(CN)2 is produced by heating ethene dibromide
with potassium cyanide and alcohol; it is a crystalline solid,
melting at 37° to a brown, oily liquid, and decomposing at a higher
temperature. On boiliug it with caustic potash or with hydrochloric
arid or nitric acid, it yields succinic acid .*—
CN CO.OH
CaH4 + 2H Cl + 4H20 = CaH4 -{- 2NH4C1
CN CO.OH
Sucoinonitrile has also been obtained by tlie electrolysis of potassium
oyanacetate, a reaction which is quite analogous to the formation
of ethane (dimethyl) from potassium acetate,
(3) When the ethyl-ether of /3 chfaropropimio acid (see Glyoeric
Add) is heated with potassium cyanide, the ethyl-ether of /? cyanopropionio
acid is formed, This etlier, when heated with caustic
potash, yields potassium succinate and alcohol :—
CN CO.OK
C2H4 2K0H + H4O =
I I
CO.OC2H6
CO.OK
To obtain succinic acid in quantity, amber is subjected to destructive
distillation, and the aqueous portion of the distillate heated to