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



decomposed in melting, and hyponitrous acid fumes areevolved. 

 When this salt is heated quickly upon platinum-foil, cyanol 

 escapes, leaving behind carbon. 



When ordinary concentrated nitric acid is mixed with 

 cyanol, the whole liquid solidifies into a rose-red crystalline 

 paste. If the acid is highly concentrated, or if a great eleva- 

 tion of temperature ensues, the liquid suddenly changes to a 

 dark colour, owing to a transformation taking place, to which 

 I shall advert hereafter. 



Hydrochlorate of Cyanol is procured as a crystalline mass 

 by the direct combination of anhydrous cyanol and hydro- 

 chloric acid. By re-crystallization from water or spirits of 

 wine, in both of which it is soluble, it is obtained in fine 

 needles, possessing an astringent taste. I could not obtain 

 this salt in crystals from the strong smelling base, for when I 

 mixed it with hydrochloric acid the whole became a viscous 

 syrup. When the smelling cyanol is dissolved in sether (in 

 which the hydrochlorate is insoluble), and a stream of dry 

 hydrochloric acid gas is passed through the solution, the hy- 

 drochlorate of cyanol falls in the form of a heavy glutinous 

 liquid, but no crystals appear. The salt is not altered by 

 sublimation. I thought a third analysis of this compound un- 

 necessary, as Fritzsche has investigated the hydrochlorate of 

 aniline, and Zinin the benzidam salt. The analyses of the 

 above chemists agree with the formula CI H + C 12 H 7 N. 



Chloride of Platinum and Cyanol. — I have already mentioned 

 this salt when treating of the determination of the atomic 

 weight of the base. It is obtained as an orange-yellow coloured 

 crystalline mass, when cyanol, hydrochloric acid, and chloride 

 of platinum are mixed together. The acid must be used in 

 excess, because if the base predominates the solution becomes 

 brown from the occurrence of decomposition. When hydro- 

 chloric acid and cyanol are heated with an equal volume of 

 alcohol before the addition of chloride of platinum, the salt 

 takes a longer time to separate; but when produced, is in 

 more beautiful acicular crystals. These crystals were washed 

 with a mixture of alcohol and aether, in which they are only 

 sparingly soluble, and dried at 212° Fahr. 



By igniting with chromate of lead 1*0575 grm. of chloride 

 of platinum and cyanol gave 0*9288 grm. of carbonic acid and 

 0*2545 grm. of water. 



The chlorine was ascertained by treating the salt with 

 caustic lime, dissolving the residue in nitric acid, and precipi- 

 tating with nitrate of silver. 



I obtained from 1*1825 grm. of chloride of platinum and 

 cyanol 1*669 grm. of chloride of silver. 



