recommend the use of ortho hydroxyquinoline for the separation of aluminium and beryllium. A 5 per cent. solution of the reagent is prepared, using double normal acetic acid as the solvent. The solution of aluminium and beryllium should be only slightly acid; it is warmed to a temperature of 5 ยฐo to 60 ยฐ C.; an excess of the solution of ortho hydroxyquinoline (also called oxine) is added; then double normal ammonium acetate solution is slowly added until a permanent precipitate forms and a large excess of this reagent is present. The aluminium is precipitated as its salt of ortho hydroxyquinoline, which has the formula AI(C~H6ON)~ and contains II.IO per cent. of alumina, A12Oa, when dried at 12o ยฐ to I4 oยฐ C. Beryllium remains in solution. The beryllium may be precipitated in the filtrate from the aluminium by means of ammonia after heating almost to boiling.
J. S. H.
Acetic Acid as a Solvent. ARTHUR W. DAVIDSON of the University of Kansas (Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., I928, 50, I89O-I895) finds that many salts, especially halides and nitrates, are soluble in pure acetic acid, while sulphates are very slightly soluble in that solvent. Reactions involving double decomposition occur quite readily in acetic acid solutions, but soIvolysis does not take place to any marked extent.