MOLECULAR CONDUCTIVITY OF AMIDOSULPHOXIC ACID. -69 



stronger than glycocoll. These are tacts already well established 

 (compare J. Walker : Proc. Chem. Soc. Lond., [1894]). 



The striking contrast between the influence of NH 2 upon the 

 strength of organic acids generally and that upon sulphurous acid — 

 the only inorganic acid of which the electric conductivity of the 

 amido-derivative has been determined — has, in all probability, to be 

 accounted for by the circumstance that, in the former, the basic group 

 - 11"- NH 2 acts upon CQ 2 H or S0 5 H, forming internal ammonium 

 salts, as was first suggested by Erlenmeyer (compare J. Sakurai : Con- 

 stitution of glycocoll and its derivatives, Jour. Coll. Se., 7, 87 [1895]). 

 Indeed, Ostwald, after determining the molecular conductivity of 

 glycocoll and finding that it increases only very slightly on dilution, 

 goes on to say : " The nature of this series of numbers is rather that 

 of a neutral salt, and the conclusion already drawn from the neutral 

 reaction of glycocoll that it is a salt-like compound is confirmed by 

 the electrical measurements." (Jour, prakt. Cliem., 32, 369 [1885]). 

 In another paper, the same author speaks of amido-acetic acid as one, 

 " which can no longer be called an acid." (Zeit, physik. Chem., 3, 

 189 [1889]). 



I. have shown in another place (loe. eit.^) that the conclusion is 

 inevitable, that not only glycocoll but organic amido-acids generally 

 are salt- like compounds ; the stud) 7 of the electric conductivity of 

 amidosulphonic acid has confirmed this view by showing that mere 

 presence of NH. 2 does not diminish the strength of an acid and that 

 the fact, therefore, that organic amido-acids are weaker than the non- 

 amidated acids must be explained by assuming the nitrogen of the basic 

 group, - If- NH 2 , to be in combination with the hydrogen of the acid 

 group, COM or SO z H, thus :— 



1L X- If- CO-0 or H Z N - R"- S0 2 -0 , 



