48 Dr. Kane on the Compounds of Ammonia. 



B. 3.752 grammes were dissolved In dilute muriatic acid, and decomposed by 

 boiling with caustic potash. The oxide of copper precipitated was collected and 

 burned with the filter, it weighed 2.146 or 57.19 per cent. 



The difference is evidently the water, and hence the formula 



3cMo-{- 2nh3-{-6ho, 

 which gives 



207.08 100.00 100.00 



This result comes sufficiently close to allow of the formula being adopted, but I 

 will not now attempt to arrange it after any theoretical idea. The substance 

 evidently belongs to the same class as the fulminating oxides of silver and mer- 

 cury, but is still inferior in detonating power even to the latter. 



VII. OF THE AMMONIACAL NITRATE OF COPPEK. 



This salt, the existence and some characters of which have been already 

 noticed by chemists, may be prepared very simply by the same process as that 

 described under the head of the Ammonia-Chloride of Copper, substituting 

 nitrate for the chloride. It crystallizes in a confused mass of minute octohedrons, 

 whose form is with difficulty ascertained. It dissolves easily in water, and on the 

 addition of an acid it yields the ordinary basic nitrate of copper. 



When heated, this salt is decomposed in a very remarkable manner : traces 

 of ammonia are evolved, but no water if the salt had been completely dried ; 

 black points (oxide of copper) make their appearance, the salt fuses, and if the 

 heat be continued, suddenly explodes with a hissing noise, and the formation of a 

 great cloud of gaseous matter, whilst the Inside of the vessel remains lined with 

 oxide of copper. Several attempts were made to manage the decomposition, so 

 as to determine the quantity of the oxide left behind, but without avail ; even 

 when the powdered salt was covered in a platinum crucible, with strong nitric 

 or muriatic acid, and then heated, the acid boiled away, and the residual salt 

 underwent its explosive change, as if no such means had been applied. 



