alcoholate; CCl 3 CH(OH)OCH 2 CH 3 ). Chlorine gives chloral (CCl 3 CHO) with
ethanol and in the presence of excess ethanol, a viscous solution of the hemiacetal
chloral alcoholate is obtained. If Scheele would have studied this reaction more
thoroughly, he would have been in the position to make an important discovery,
since chloral reacts with water to chloral hydrate (CCl 3 CH(OH) 2 ). Chloral hydrate
was not isolated until 1869 and eventually [35] found to be a useful sedative and
hypnotic but has now disappeared from the market due to its toxicity.
5
References
1. Scheele CW (1782) Anmärkningar om sättet at conservera Ättika. KVA Nya Handl 3: 120–
122
2. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 73
3. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 83
4. Bergman T, Afzelius J (1776) Dissertatio chemica de acido sacchari, Uppsala
5. Thomson T (1831) The history of chemistry, vol II. Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley,
London, p 43
6. Neumann C (1755)Chymiae Medica Dogmatico-Experimentalis…der gründlischen und mit
Experimenten erwiesenen Medicinischen Chemie, vol 4 part 2, p 359
7. Scheele CW (1784) Om Rhabarber-jordens bestånds-delar, samt sätt, at tilreda
Acetosell-syran. KVA Nya Handl 5:180–187
8. Scheele CW (1785) Om Rhabarberjordens närvaro uti flera vegetabilier. KVA Nya Handl
6:171–172
9. Bergius P (1777) Anmärkningar om Blåsestenen. KVA Handl 38:304–309
10. Scheele CW (1776) Undersökning om Blåse-stenen. KVA Handl 37:327–332
11. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 33
12. Bergman T (1776) Tilläggning om Blåse-Stenen. KVA Handl 37:333–338
13. Scheele CW (1780) Om Mjölk, och dess syra. KVA Nya Handl 1:116–124
14. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 63
15. Lavoisier A (1790) Elements of chemistry. William Crech, Edinburgh, p 278
16. Berzelius JJ (1808) Föreläsningar i djurkemien vol 2. Stockholm, p 176
17. Ramberg PJ (2003) Chemical structure, spatial arrangement. Ashgate, Aldershot, p 42
18. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 65
19. Scheele CW (1780) Om Mjölk-Såcker-Syra. KVA Nya Handl 1:269–275
20. Retzius AJ (1776) Vidare försök med naturlig växt-syra. KVA Handl 37:130–140
21. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 80
22. Scheele CW (1784) Anmärkning om Citron-saft, samt sätt at crystallisera densamma. KVA
Nya Handl 5:105–109
23. Scheele CW (1785) Om Frukt- och Bär-syran. KVA Nya Handl 6:17–27
24. Lennartson A (2017) The Chemical Works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 85
25. Scheele CW (1786) Om Sal essentiale Gallarum, eller Galläple-salt, KVA Nya Handl 7:30–34
26. Lennartson A (2017) The Chemical Works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 93
27. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 78
28. Boyle R (1661) The sceptical chymist. J Crook 257
29. Scheele CW (1783) Rön, beträffande ett särskildt Socker-ämne uti exprimerade Oljor och
Fetmor. KVA Nya Handl 4:324–329
5
In Sweden, the last commercial medicine containing chloral hydrate was withdrawn in 1969.
340
24 Scheele’s Contribution to Organic Chemistry
ethanol and in the presence of excess ethanol, a viscous solution of the hemiacetal
chloral alcoholate is obtained. If Scheele would have studied this reaction more
thoroughly, he would have been in the position to make an important discovery,
since chloral reacts with water to chloral hydrate (CCl 3 CH(OH) 2 ). Chloral hydrate
was not isolated until 1869 and eventually [35] found to be a useful sedative and
hypnotic but has now disappeared from the market due to its toxicity.
5
References
1. Scheele CW (1782) Anmärkningar om sättet at conservera Ättika. KVA Nya Handl 3: 120–
122
2. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 73
3. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 83
4. Bergman T, Afzelius J (1776) Dissertatio chemica de acido sacchari, Uppsala
5. Thomson T (1831) The history of chemistry, vol II. Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley,
London, p 43
6. Neumann C (1755)Chymiae Medica Dogmatico-Experimentalis…der gründlischen und mit
Experimenten erwiesenen Medicinischen Chemie, vol 4 part 2, p 359
7. Scheele CW (1784) Om Rhabarber-jordens bestånds-delar, samt sätt, at tilreda
Acetosell-syran. KVA Nya Handl 5:180–187
8. Scheele CW (1785) Om Rhabarberjordens närvaro uti flera vegetabilier. KVA Nya Handl
6:171–172
9. Bergius P (1777) Anmärkningar om Blåsestenen. KVA Handl 38:304–309
10. Scheele CW (1776) Undersökning om Blåse-stenen. KVA Handl 37:327–332
11. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 33
12. Bergman T (1776) Tilläggning om Blåse-Stenen. KVA Handl 37:333–338
13. Scheele CW (1780) Om Mjölk, och dess syra. KVA Nya Handl 1:116–124
14. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 63
15. Lavoisier A (1790) Elements of chemistry. William Crech, Edinburgh, p 278
16. Berzelius JJ (1808) Föreläsningar i djurkemien vol 2. Stockholm, p 176
17. Ramberg PJ (2003) Chemical structure, spatial arrangement. Ashgate, Aldershot, p 42
18. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 65
19. Scheele CW (1780) Om Mjölk-Såcker-Syra. KVA Nya Handl 1:269–275
20. Retzius AJ (1776) Vidare försök med naturlig växt-syra. KVA Handl 37:130–140
21. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 80
22. Scheele CW (1784) Anmärkning om Citron-saft, samt sätt at crystallisera densamma. KVA
Nya Handl 5:105–109
23. Scheele CW (1785) Om Frukt- och Bär-syran. KVA Nya Handl 6:17–27
24. Lennartson A (2017) The Chemical Works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 85
25. Scheele CW (1786) Om Sal essentiale Gallarum, eller Galläple-salt, KVA Nya Handl 7:30–34
26. Lennartson A (2017) The Chemical Works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 93
27. Lennartson A (2017) The chemical works of Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Springer, Cham, p 78
28. Boyle R (1661) The sceptical chymist. J Crook 257
29. Scheele CW (1783) Rön, beträffande ett särskildt Socker-ämne uti exprimerade Oljor och
Fetmor. KVA Nya Handl 4:324–329
5
In Sweden, the last commercial medicine containing chloral hydrate was withdrawn in 1969.
340
24 Scheele’s Contribution to Organic Chemistry