186 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



Seidel obtained by heating silver fulminurate * with ethyliodide at 

 100°, instead of at 80°, a second compound of the formula, 



CsH^NgOaCQHs), 



melting point 155°. f This is in all probability formed from the 



normal and original ester, 



O 

 II 

 CN-C : NOQHg 

 1 

 HOC:NH, 



by a molecular rearrangement, especially since we now know that 

 such esters are unstable compounds, capable of intramolecular oxida- 

 tion. It is very probable that this second compound, C3H2N303(C2H5), 

 possesses the constitution 



CN-C : NOC2H5 

 I 

 HOC:NOH. 



It is a strong acid, — a fact which Seidel does not mention. 



IV. SODICFERROFULMINATE, Na4Fe(0N : C)6 + I8H2O, 



The remarkable resemblance of fulrainic acid, C : NOH, and its 

 salts, C : NOM, to prussic acid, C : NH, and its salts, C : NM, has 

 become very evident by reason of the facts presented above. This 

 resemblance is so great, that many observers have been led astray in 

 working with fulmiuic acid compounds. For this reason it seems to 

 me that no longer the slightest doubt can exist concerning the nature 

 of prussic acid and its salts. $ They are unquestionably all derivatives 

 of isocyanogen, 



* It need hardly be mentioned that many fruitless experiments were carried 

 out in the hope of synthesizing fulminuric acid, which, according to the above 

 results, must be identical with nitrocyanacetamide, 



CN— CHNO2 



I 

 HOC:NH. 

 Bromcyanacetamide, 



CN— CHBr 



HOC NH, 



mpt. 122°, can easily be made from cyanacetamide, bromine, and water, but 

 all attempts to convert it, by means of potassic or silver nitrite, into nitrocyan- 

 acetamide were attended with negative results. 



t Ber. d. chem. Ges., XXV. 2756. 



t Ann. Chem. (Liebig), CCLXX. 329. 



