a neiv Product of Decomposition of Dinitrobenzole. 317 



following composition to this base: C^. H^N^ and the yellow- 

 powder is represented by 



C ^\3N0 4 / N 2- 

 In this body (nitrolophyle, trinitrolophine), according to the 

 view in question, 3 equivalents of hydrogen are replaced by 

 hyponitric acid ; but with this interchange lophine has lost 

 all its basic properties, trinitrolophine being an indifferent 

 substance. 



In pursuing this track of investigation, we endeavoured to 

 supply the hiatus existing here by finding a basic compound 

 into which N0 4 might enter without affecting its properties. 

 The various ways in which aniline is formed, its characteristic 

 properties, and above all having succeeded in replacing hy- 

 drogen by bromine and chlorine in aniline, we deemed this 

 body the best suited to our experiments. 



In the first place, we attempted to accomplish our purpose 

 by the direct action of nitric acid on aniline, but we did not 

 in this way succeed : when aniline is mixed with pretty strong 

 nitric acid, a mass of crystals are formed, which are nitrate of 

 aniline. On heating this salt in the presence of free nitric 

 acid it dissolves with violent action and the escape of nitrous 

 fumes, and is, as we know, ultimately converted, on continuing 

 the treatment, into carbazotic acid. Were it possible to ob- 

 tain nitraniline by this process, it obviously could only be by 

 interrupting the action of nitric acid at the proper time, but 

 after a number of experiments with acid of every variety of 

 strength, and adding water at every stage of the process, we 

 could not succeed; either the aniline separated unchanged, 

 or its molecular constitution underwent an entire change, and 

 the water separated resinous matters rather of an acid than 

 a basic character. We soon abandoned this method, and 

 remembering that the chlorine and bromine bases were pro- 

 duced only indirectly, we sought to accomplish our present 

 purpose in the same manner. 



After the fact had been established, that isatine was con- 

 verted into aniline by fusion with caustic potassa, the produc- 

 tion of the chlorine and bromine bases followed as a matter 

 of course ; in the same way, if we could succeed in producing 

 nitrisatine, n J H 4 1 wn 



Ul6 \N0 4 J JNU4 ' 

 by replacing the hydrogen of isatine with hyponitric acid, the 

 distillation of this compound with potassa might yield nitra- 

 niline, 



C 16 H 5 N0 4 + 4(KO, HO) = C l2 H r N + 4(KO, C0 2 ) + 2H 



Isatine. Aniline. 



