200 Dr. A. W. Hofman on the Organic Bases 



of the oxygen compounds of chlorine upon that substance the 

 coloured product of oxidation in the form of violet blue flakes, 

 which, when washed with alcohol, assumed a green hue. 

 Fritzsche expresses its composition by the formula C 24 H 10 

 N 2 C10. (?) 



By the prolonged action of chlorous acid upon the liquid 

 from which the blue deposit had been separated, he obtained 

 the yellow crystalline substance which Erdmann discovered 

 when acting upon chlorisatine and bichlorisatine with chlorine, 

 and which he called chloranil. 



I repeated these experiments with cyanol, and, as might be 

 expected, obtained the same results. 



Fritzsche employed for the production of the blue compound 

 a mixture of hydrochloric acid and chlorate of potash, to 

 which was added an alcoholic solution of a salt of aniline. 

 Some hours afterwards the mixture was filled with the blue 

 flakes. This method is defective, at least I had to perform a 

 number of experiments before I arrived at the proper propor- 

 tions. When a solution of cyanol in hydrochloric acid is 

 treated with a few drops of free chlorous acid, prepared ac- 

 cording to Millon's method, the whole liquid immediately 

 coagulates into a blue mass. This body, after being well 

 washed, is decomposed in presence of potash and ammonia, 

 and chlorine is liberated. 



As Fritzsche is engaged with this subject I have not pursued 

 it further. 



I have procured chloranil* both from cyanol and benzidam, 

 possessing all the properties which Erdmann attributed to it. 



When to an alcoholic solution of these bases concentrated 

 hydrochloric acid is added, and into the mixture, while boil- 

 ing, small crystals of chlorate of potash are projected, chlo- 

 ranil is obtained perfectly pure in gold-yellow crystalline scales 

 without the liquid becoming blue. In this process the alcohol 

 should not be employed in too large a quantity, or much 

 chlorate of potash will be wasted, and large quantities of acetic 

 aether disengaged. 



When the composition of cyanol (C 12 H 7 N) is compared 

 with that of chloranil (C 6 C1 2 2 ), the formation of this body 

 is readily comprehended. All the carbon is found again in 

 the chloranil; one part of the hydrogen is replaced by chlo- 

 rine; another escapes with nitrogen in the form of ammonia. 

 Indeed, when lime is added to the mother liquor of chloranil, 

 ammonia is perceptible in very large quantities. 



Action of Chlorine upon Cyanol. — When chlorine gasistrans- 



* It can also be obtained from phenile, salicine and several other bodies, 

 as will be shown in a future paper. 



