The Reduction of Nitrososulphates. 



by 



Edward Divers, IYI. D-, F. R. S., Prof. 



and 



Tamemasa Haga, F.C.S., Rigakuhakushi, late Asst. Prof. 



College of Science, Imperial University. 



In 1885 (J. Ch. Soc, 47 203) we studied the action of sodium 

 amalgam upon a solution of potassium nitrososulphate, and found that 

 it produced sodium hyponitrite and sulphite, besides nitrous oxide, 

 hydroxylamine, and ammonia. In 1894 Duden (Berichte, 27 3498) 

 examined this action, in order to see whether hydrazine was not also 

 produced, and found that it was, in small quantity. This interesting 

 result has caused us to re-examine this action, with the object of 

 ascertaining whether what we had juclsred to be hydroxylamine is not 

 hydrazine. For, at the time of our former work, hydrazine had not 

 been discovered, and this substance would have given us the reactions 

 upon which we relied as evidence of the presence of hydroxylamine. 

 We felt it also desirable to see whether this or hydrazine was the 

 strongly reducing substance which, in very small proportion, accom- 

 panies the hyponitrite formed from a nitrite by the action of sodium. 

 The results of our investigation have not only cleared up these two 

 points, but have shown that, besides hyponitrite and nitrous oxide, 

 sulphite, hydrazine, and ammonia, there is also a large production of 

 sulphate and amidosulphonate. Before treating of these results, we 



