A Manual of the Chemistry of the Carbon Compounds

TBB CARBON COMPOUNDS. 31
On replacing the chlorine by hydroxyl we obtain ethene alcohol:—
CHj.OH
CH,.OH
The constitution of the ethene compounds may also be expressed
in a more simple way, thus:—
which means that both these compounds contain the dyad radical
ethene.
Ethene alcohol yields by oxidation glycollic acid, a compound
which can also be obtained from acetic acid. By the action of chlorine
on the latter compound, chloracetic acid is formed, one atom of
chlorine substituting one atom of hydrogen in the group CEL When
OFT Cl CO }
cliloracetic acid ^ n a u • ^ V 0 is acted upon by caustic potash, the
chlorine is replaced by hydroxyl, and potassium chloride and glycollic
acid are formed:—
CHaCl. CO ) 0 + KOH = CH^OH) CO j Q + KC1
By further oxidation of glyeollic acid we obtain oxalic acid, the
two remaining atoms of hydrogen of the ethene being substituted
by oxygen. The constitution of these different acids we may
represent thus:—
Chloracetio Glycollio Oxalic
Aoid. Acid. Aoid.
CH^Cl CHg.OH CO. OH
CO. OH CO.OH CO. OH
In some cases it is convenient to resolve such amstUtttional
formulas still further, in order to explain oases of isomerism, &c. In
order to do this we may represent the quantivalence of elements by
straight lines, thus;—
Hydrogim. Oxygen. Nitrogen. Carbon.
H— —0-
A ' 4 ~
And by aid of these symbols the following graphical formulte are
arrived at:— Ethane. Ethylamine.
H H H H
H—C C~H H-h C-N 7