NEP. — BIVALENT CARBON. 177 



acidifying and extracting with ether, two other compounds were 

 obtained : one of these, which is far less soluble in cold ether, he 

 calls isofulminuric acid,* and its composition as C3H3N3O3 was deter- 

 mined by many analyses ; the other substance was a syrupy acid from 

 which he obtained a small amount of a crystallized ammonium salt, 



CII.NsO^.t 



These three substances are all obtained by allowing an ammoniacal 

 solution of pure cyanisonitroacethydroxamic acid to stand in the air, 

 and proceeding according to the directions of Ehrenberg. It is to be 

 noted that Ehrenberg's compound of the formula C3H4N4O2 possesses 

 weak acid as well as also strong basic properties ; it dissolves there- 

 fore instantly in cold dilute hydrogen chloride. It also gives with 

 ferric chloride an intense blood-red coloration. 



Behavior of Cyanisonitrosoacethydroxamic Acid totvm-ds Water. — 

 Whereas a solution of the free acid in concentrated hydrochloric acid 

 or in concentrated sulphuric acid can be kejit without essential change 

 for twelve hours in the cold, an aqueous solution of the acid (2 grams) 

 is completely decomposed after two hours heating on a water bath. 

 The solution no longer gives a yellow but a white precipitate with 

 silver nitrate. On extracting with ether, and drying the ethereal 

 solution with calcic chloride, two substances are obtained which are 

 identical with Ehrenberg's isofulminuric acid and his syrupy acid. 

 The former can easily be separated from the latter by washing with 

 a small amount of ether. It was crystallized (1 gram) from a small 

 amount of water, and obtained as a white spongy powder identical in 

 its properties and its behavior with Ehrenberg's isofulminuric acid. 

 The fact that the substance gives with ferric chloride a deep blood-red 

 coloration is worthy of mention. 



0.1687 gram substance, dried at 100°, gave 0.1725 gram CO2 and 



0.0386 gram H.O. 

 0.0780 gram substance, dried at 100°, gave 23 c.cm. N2 at 22° and 



750 mm. 



The syrupy acid which is formed at the same time is identical with 

 the corresponding compound obtained by Ehrenberg, but for the pres- 

 ent has not been further studied. 



* Journ. f. prakt. Chem., [2.], XXX. 55. t Ibid., XXX. 59. 



VOL. XXX. (n. S. XXII.) 12 



