Unfortunately Nieuwland did not investigate the action on acetylene of
hypochlorites, which are presumably the active ingredients in bleaching-
powder. As will appear in due course, processes have been devised and
patented to eliminate all danger from the reaction between acetylene and
chlorine for the purpose of making tetrachlorethane in quantity.
Acetylene combines with hydrogen in the presence of platinum black, and
ethylene and then ethane result. It was hoped at one time that this
reaction would lead to the manufacture of alcohol from acetylene being
achieved on a commercial basis; but it was found that it did not proceed
with sufficient smoothness for the process to succeed, and a number of
higher or condensation products were formed at the same time. It has been
shown by Erdmann that the cost of production of alcohol from acetylene
through this reaction must prove prohibitive, and he has indicated
another reaction which he considered more promising. This is the
conversion of acetylene by means of dilute sulphuric acid (3 volumes of
concentrated acid to 7 volumes of water), preferably in the presence of
mercuric oxide, to acetaldehyde. The yield, however, was not
satisfactory, and the process does not appear to have passed beyond the
laboratory stage.
Pages:
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432