Action qfPotassa on Camphor, 47 



part, however, remains dissolved. It is purified by washing 

 and distillation with water. It is perfectly colourless, trans- 

 parent, sp. gr. = 1*685 at 15° R. (?); has an irritating smell 

 like chloride of cyanogen ; is scarcely soluble in water; easily 

 so in alcohol and aether. Forms, by the action of an alcoho- 

 lic solution of potassa, a crystalline potassa salt. Formula, 

 C CI 2 N' 2 O, perhaps C CI* + N 2 O. The density of the 

 vapour could not be determined. 



M. de Marignac considers naphthalin as composed of two 

 hydrocarbons, C' 6 H s -f C 4 H 8 ; chlorine can only extract one 

 half of the hydrogen and form C 16 H 8 + O CI 8 ; it is evident 

 that eight atoms must be in a different state of combination 

 from that in which the other eight atoms are. These two 

 bodies may be separated from each other, but they then enter 

 into new combinations. Nitronaphthalic acid may be con- 

 sidered as an oxide of C» 6 H 6 N 2 O, viz. C 16 H 6 N 2 O 4 + O. 

 This radical has arisen from C ,(i H 8 by the substitution of 

 one equivalent hyponitric acid for one equivalent hydrogen. 

 Hydrochlorate of chloronaphthalese is C 16 H s + C 4 H 8 CK 

 From the radical C 16 H 8 the naphthalic acid is derived, while, 

 from the other, C 4 CI 8 + N 8 O 6 is produced, &c. 



Action of Potassa on Camphor. By Delalande. 



When the vapours of camphor are passed over a mixture of 

 potassa and lime, heated in a tube to between 300° and 400°, 

 they are absorbed, and no gas is evolved; the product is ex- 

 tracted with hot water, and the filtered solution precipitated 

 by an acid ; a white crystalline acid is thus obtained, which, 

 when pure, may be distilled unchanged, and for which the 

 name of Campholic acid is proposed. Campholic acid cry- 

 stallizes well out of its alcoholic solution. It has a very simi- 

 lar appearance to camphor ; reddens slightly litmus paper, 

 but saturates bases perfectly; melts at 80°; boils at 250°; not 

 soluble in water, to which, however, it imparts an aromatic 

 odour; readily soluble in alcohol and aether. The tempera- 

 ture used during preparation must be strictly attended to, for 

 the operation does not always succeed. It is best performed 

 in closed tubes ; the vapours are passed backwards and for- 

 wards over the heated mixture several times. The formula is 

 C*° H 36 O 4 . Campholate of silver is obtained by precipitating 

 nitrate of silver with campholate of ammonia; is a white ca- 

 seous substance, which easily retains nitrate of silver, and must 

 be dried, pulverized, and repeatedly washed. Consists of C 20 

 H 34 O 3 + Ag O. Campholate of lime, when an ammoniacal 

 solution of campholic acid is added boiling hot to chloride of 

 calcium. It is white, crystalline ; more readily soluble in cold 



