A Manual of the Chemistry of the Carbon Compounds

THE CARBON COMPOUNDS. 89
hydrogen. Thus on adding an excess of zinc methide to acetyl chloride
we obtain the compound CHg VCO.ZuCHj, which is decomposed by
CHsj
water with the formation of trimethyl carbinol, marsh-gas, and zinc
hydroxide :—
CH8) CH8-)
CHS VCO.ZnCH8 + 2H2O = CHS J-C.OH + CH, + Zn(OH).
OHj CHj
The oxidation of tertiary alcohols takes place according to a law
similar to that which rules the oxidation of the ketones; the most
simple alcohol radical remaining combined with the carbon-atom by
which the whole group is kept together, whilst the two other radicals
are oxidized separately.
The following tertiary alcohols are known :—
Boiling-point.
Trimethyl Carbinol CH, VC.OH 82°
CHj
Dimethyl-ethyl Carbinol CH, VC.OK 100
CH8)
Dimethylisopropyl Carbinol UHS J-C.OH 112
(CH3),CHJ
CHS)
Dimethyl-propyl Carbinol CHg VC.OH 115
CHJ
Methyl-diethyl Carhinol
Triothyl Carbinol
Diethyl-propyl Carbinol
cX }c.OH
C!H! ic.oH
CAi
cX J-CLOff
C3HJ
120
140
A very singular reaction must be mentioned here by which normal
primary alcohols may \>Q converted into isoalcohols, secondary, and
tertiary alcohols. This general method consists in heating the hydrochlorides
of the amines with silver nitrite and water. Thus when
normal propylaniine is submitted to this reaction it is converted into
secondary propyl alcohol:—-
—