It was noted that although the hydride will not react with the pure alcohol or nitroparaffins individually, an instantaneous evolution of hydrogen is observed if the hydride is added to a mixture of the alcohol and the nitroparaffin. From the reaction mixture can be recovered the entire quantity of alcohol and the calcium salt of the nitroparan. The benzalacetone and benzalacetophenone were purified by repeated recrystallizations.
