462 Mr. Field on the Products of the 



minate of ammonia, I thought that by heating it under pres- 

 sure, the ammonia then not being able to escape, the desired 

 change might be effected. Accordingly a portion of the salt 

 was placed in a strong glass tube, and after sealing the other 

 end, gradually heated in an oil-bath to nearly the boiling- 

 point of the oil, and allowed to cool. On cooling the mass 

 appeared to have been completely fused, but perfectly solid 

 and of a highly-crystallized texture. On examination it was 

 found to be insoluble in cold water and ammonia, but very 

 soluble in hot water, from which it solidified into a crystalline 

 mass as the temperature cooled ; this alone sufficiently indi- 

 cated that a complete change had been effected, the cuminate 

 of ammonia being readily soluble in cold water. In order to 

 ascertain the nature of the change it was dissolved in hot 

 water, and weak ammonia added to dissolve any cuminic acid 

 that might be mixed with it, and crystallized; the crystals 

 were separated by filtration, and once more dissolved in a hot 

 weak solution of ammonia, from which they separated on 

 cooling in brilliant white crystalline plates, similar in appear- 

 ance to benzamide. These were dried at 212° in a water-bath, 

 and analysed in the usual manner. 



I. 0-174 grm. of substance burnt with oxide of copper 

 yielded 0*470 of carbonic acid and 0*128 of water. 



II. 0*248 grm. yielded 0*670 of carbonic acid and 0*181 of 

 water. 



III. To estimate the nitrogen, 0*287 grm. ignited with soda- 

 lime yielded 0*390 of ammonio-chloride of platinum*. 



From these analytic results the following per-centages are 

 obtained : — 



I. 11. III. 



Carbon . . 73*66 73*67 



Hydrogen'. 8*17 8*10 



Nitrogen . 8*50 



leading to the formula Cc^ Hjy NOg, as may be seen from the 

 following comparison of the theoretical and experimental 

 numbers : — 



20 equivs. of Carbon , 

 13 ... Hydrogen 



1 ... Nitrogen 



2 ... Oxygen . 



This body therefore is cuminamide, NH2 Cgo Hn Og, having 



* In this operation a large quantity of an oily body is produced, which 

 floats on the surface of the hydrochloric acid. It is evidently cumol. 



