1 882. 12T Trans. N. V. Ac. Set. 



Curators, 

 Bernard G. Amend, B. B. Chamberlin, 



Charles F. Cox, Herman L. Fairchild, 



Wm. H. Leggett. 



Finance Conumttee, 



T. B. Coddington, Philip Schuyler, 



Thomas Bland. 



The President elect addressed the meeting-, with a brief review of 

 the work and progress of the Academy during several years past, its 

 growth in numbers and in means, the increasing activity of its meet- 

 ings, and the various grounds for encouragement and congratulation,' 

 albeit in the face of many obstacles, and the duty and responsibility of 

 the members, and of all lovers of science and intellectual culture in 

 the community, to sustain and further the interests and aims of the 

 Academy. 



Prof. A. R. Leeds presented the following communication: 

 diphenylamine-acrolein. 



Twenty-five grms. of diphenylamine in alcoholic solution were 

 treated with acrolein in excess, and, after standing, the loosely-corked 

 flask was gently warmed for a number of hours, until the smell of 

 acrolein had nearly disappeared. A bulky, dark red precipitate was 

 formed. On boiling with alcohol a deep red solution was obtained, 

 and the portion undissolved formed a tenacious, sticky mass, very 

 awkward to work with. By repeated boiling with water under a return 

 cooler, this mass gradually lost its sticky nature. It was then digested 

 alternately with boiling water and alcohol, until at last the mass be- 

 came pulverulent, and could be ground up in a mortar. The operation 

 of boiling was then repeated many times, the mass being powdered 

 after each treatment with water, until at length the substance in a state 

 of purity was obtained. Its analysis showed it to be diphenylamine- 

 acrolein, or, as it might be termed, diphenylamine-allylene. 



Found. Theory. 



Carbon 86.26 86.18 



Hydrogen ... 6.29 6.36 



Nitrogen 7.28 7.45 



It does not melt or sublime, but is decomposed on heating, leaving 

 behind a carbonaceous residue extremely difficult of combustion. It is 

 very slightly soluble in alcohol, insoluble in ether, and readily soluble 

 in chloroform to a dark red liquid. From this solution, and also from 

 that in glacial acid, in which it dissolves to a red liquid, but less readily 

 than in chloroform, it could not be made to crystallize. 



