Manuscript, 'On some new ethyl-compounds containing the alkali-metals' by J A [James Alfred] Wanklyn Wanklyn writes that 'the very remarkable composition and properties of that class of substances comprehending kakodyl and zinc-ethyl, have justly attached no ordinary degree of interest to the so-called organo-metallic compounds. Influenced by that interest, I was led to inquire whether the series might not include members into whose composition the alkali-metals entered. It was a question whether combination between so powerfully electro-positive a body as potassium or sodium on the one hand, and a hydrocarbon radical on the other, did not involve impossible conditions.' He shares details of a series of experiments. Marked on front as 'Archives' and 'Proceedings'. Annotations in pencil throughout. Includes two figures in the text illustrating experiments. Subject: Organic chemistry Received 10 June 1858. Communicated by Edward Frankland. Written by Wanklyn in the Laboratory of Professor Bunsen, Heidelberg [Germany]. A version of this paper was published in volume 9 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On some new ethyl-compounds containing the alkalimetals'. June 1858