Note 30 — Chapter XX · SULPHUR, SELENIUM, AND TELLURIUM
George Kamensky translation
CH4 gives CH4O or CH3(OH), wood spirit; CH4O2 or CH2(OH)2, which decomposes into water and CH2O—that is, methylene oxide or formaldehyde; CH4O3 = CH(OH)3 = H2O + CHO(OH), or formic acid; and CH4O4 = C(OH)4 = 2H2O + CO2. There are four typical hydrogen compounds, RH, RH2, RH3, and RH4, and each of them has its typical oxide. Beyond H4 and O4 combination does not proceed.