Litelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 4-77 



1 equivalent of hypoazotic vapour, and which the author calls in the 

 nomenclature adopted for these compounds mononitric anisol. M. 

 Cahours has succeeded in obtaining it by treating anisol with small por- 

 tions of fuming nitric acid, taking care to keep the vessel containing 

 the reacting substances extremely cold. Operating with these pre- 

 cautions, a thick liquid of a blackish blue is obtained, which is purified 

 by submitting it, at first, to repeated washings with slightly alkaline 

 water, and afterwards by distilling it, having first digested it over fused 

 chloride of calcium. Thus prepared, mononitric anisol is a liquid of 

 an amber colour and heavier than water. It boils between 503° and 

 507° F., and possesses an aromatic odour. Solution of potash, even 

 when heated, does not alter it. Concentrated sulphuric acid dissolves 

 it when gently heated, and water added to the solution separates the 

 product from the liquor unaltered. Treated with an alcoholic solu- 

 tion of hydrosulphate of ammonia, it is readily acted upon ; sulphur is 

 deposited, and the alcohol holds in solution a new organic base, which 

 differs from toluidine only in containing two molecules of oxygen. 

 Mononitric anisol submitted to analysis yielded nearly — 

 14 eqs. Carbon ........ 84 54-90 



7 ... Hydrogen 7 4-57 



) ... Nitrogen 14 9'14 



6 ... Oxygen 48 31-39 



153 10000 



The substance thus formed differs from anisol by the substitution 

 of one equivalent of hypoazotic acid for one equivalent of hydrogen, 

 which justifies the name of mononitric anisol bestowed upon it. 



The analysis of the new base, formed by the action of mononitric 

 anisol and hydrosulphate of ammonia, leads to the formula C'* H^NO^; 

 it forms a crystalline salt with hydrochloric acid. As mononitric 

 anisol is prepared with difficulty, M. Cahours has obtained only a 

 small quantity of it, and he proposes to call it anisidine. 



Benzene and binitric cumene being easily acted upon by hydro- 

 sulphate of ammonia, and transformed into nitric alkaloids, binitric 

 anisol was submitted to the same reagent. By treating an alcoholic 

 solution of binitric anisol with hydrosulphate of ammonia, an abun- 

 dant deposit of sulphur is obtained, whilst the alcohol retains in so- 

 lution a substance which perfectly saturates acids, and forms with 

 them crystallizable acids [salts ?]. 



The new base thus formed crystallizes in long needles of a reddish 

 brown colour, possessing much lustre ; it is insoluble in water, but 

 dissolves readily in boiling alcohol, the greater portion separating on 

 cooling. This alkaloid yields well-formed crystalline salts with 

 sulphuric, nitric and hydrochloric acids ; some of them are perfectly 

 colourless when pure. 



The analysis of this substance indicated its composition to be — 

 14 eqs. of Carbon 84 50*00 



8 ... Hydrogen .... 8 4-76 



2 ... Nitrogen 28 16-67 



6 ... Oxygen 48 28-57 



168 100-00 



It will be observed that this substance differs from the preceding 



