464 Mr. Field on the Products of the 



II. 0-225 grm. yielded 0*6835 of carbonic acid and 0-161 

 of water. 



III. 0-244 grm. ignited with soda-lime yielded 0-364 of 

 ammonio-chloride of platinum*. 



From these analytical results the following per-centages 

 are obtained : — 



I. ir. III. 



Carbon . . 82-82 82-84 



Hydrogen . 7*59 7-96 



Nitrogen . 9*34 



leading to the formula Cgo Hji N, as may be seen from the 

 following comparison of the theoretical and experimental 

 numbers : — 



Tlieory. Mean of exp. 



20 Carbon . . 120 82-76 82-83 



11 Hydrogen . 11 7-58 7-77 * 



1 Nitrogen . 14^ 9-66 9-34 



145 

 This body is therefore cumonitrile, Cgo H^l N, standing in the 

 same relation to cuminate of ammonia as cyanogen does to 

 oxalate of ammonia. 



Cumonitrile is a perfectly clear and colourless liquid, pos- 

 sessing a high refractive power; it has a most powerful and 

 agreeable odour and a burning taste ; it is somewhat soluble 

 in water, causing turbidity in that liquid ; it is soluble in all 

 proportions of alcohol and aether ; it is lighter than water, 

 having a specific gravity 0*765 at 14° C. (57°Fahr.). The 

 boiling-point, when in contact with metal, is constant at 

 239° C. (462-2° Fahr.), at the barometric pressure 0-7585 m. 

 = (29-85 inches). The equivalent ofcuminic acid containing 

 3C2 Hg more than the equivalent of benzoic acid, it was in- 

 teresting to compare the boiling-points of benzonitrile and 

 cumonitrile. According to Fehling's experiments, the boil- 

 ing-point of benzonitrile is 191° C; on calculating from this 

 observation the boiling-point of cumonitrile according to the 

 rules first pointed out by Kopp, the boiling-point should be 

 191 -f- 3-1 9 = 248. 



Dr. Fehling does not hoNvever mention that he had this 

 substance in contact with metal, and it is not improbable that 

 the true boiling-point of benzonitrile is somewhat lower ; the 

 vapour of cumonitrile is very inflammable and burns with a 

 bright flame, which deposits much carbon. 



* Professor Fehling found it difficult to estimate the nitrogen in hetj- 

 zonitrile in the form of ammonia, drops of oil passing over into the hydro- 

 chloric acid. In the case of cumonitrile, this method gave very accurate 

 results ; oil drops also passed over, but they were evidently cumol. 



