[46 



REPORTS ON INVESTIGATIONS AND PROJECTS. 



on electrolysis migrates to the anode. From this fact and the data 

 he concluded the existence of a zirconium sulphuric acid in solution, 



orH, + Zr(SOj3--. 



It was intended to carry out a similar migration experiment with 

 thorium sulphate and sulphuric acid solution, in view of the anal- 

 ogous behavior of zirconium and thorium compounds. The appa- 

 ratus for the migration experiment not being at hand, it was decided, 

 pending the arrival of the same, to make conductivity determina- 

 tions on the equi-molecular Th(SOJ, and H,SO^ solution, it being 

 probable that if a thorium sulphuric acid were formed in any con- 

 siderable quantity the conductivity of the solutions would deviate 

 widely from that calculated for Th(S04).^ and H.^SO^ acting inde- 

 pendently. The results of these determinations are given in the 

 following table : 



On comparison of these conductivities with those of Th(SOJ., 

 and H„SO^ separately (the latter were taken from Kohlrausch & 

 Holborn, Leitfahigkeit der Electrolyte), it was found that the values 

 obtained above were somewhat smaller than those calculated, assum- 

 ing the existence of the H^SO^ and Th(S04). independently of each 

 other in the solution. The variation, however, is not striking, and 

 hence it can not be concluded that any considerable amount of 

 H3 + Th(SOj3 is formed. 



The work will be continued by Dr. Leo F. Guttman on account 

 of the resignation of the junior author. 



ATTEMPTS TO PREP.\RE THORIUM AI.KYLS. 

 Charles Raskerville with Mony de Majo. 



If thorium be complex, as indicated by previous work, better 

 methods for the separation of its constituents become desirable. 

 Aside from the interest attending the production of hydrocarbon 

 compounds of the heavy tetravalent thorium, differences in the 

 melting and boiling points of the alkyls of its constituents, if they 

 be prepared, offered a solution to the problem. 



