HYDROXYAMIDOSULPHATES BY COPPER SULPHATE. 499 



ammonia (in place of amidosiilphiiric acid) being the principal, 

 if not the sole, products. 



There is a very marked difference in the proportions of the 

 products of decomposition between a hydroxyamidosulphate and 

 a hydroximidosulphate, but this seems to be owing merely to 

 the fact that the temperature of the decomposition is different, 

 for according as hydroxyamidosulphate is heated slowly or 

 rapidly the proportions of the products of decomposition deviate 

 from or approach those which obtain when a hydroximidosul^^hate 

 is decomposed, this only taking place at a temperature above 100°. 



As little as one-tenth of an equivalent of copper sulphate 

 has been found to suffice for the complete decomposition of an 

 alkali hydroxyamidosulphate, the copper sulphate not being- 

 consumed in the change it effects ; this allows of the decomposition 

 being to a great extent carried out at the boiling temperature, 

 when again the result approaches that observed where hydrox- 

 imidosulphate is the salt decomposed. Even much less than the 

 amount above named will effect an almost complete decomposition 

 but that the quantity of the catalytic agent cannot be very 

 greatly reduced seems to be due in part to the simple hydrolysis 

 of some of the hydroxyamidosulphuric acid set free by the 

 copper sulphate daring the prolonged heating here necessary, 



Since the cupric salt suffers no reduction, it will be seen 

 that one part of the hydroxyamidosulphate becomes reduced to 

 amidosulphate by yielding oxygen for the oxidation of the other 

 part to water, sulphate and nitrous oxide. The following equa- 

 tion shows that the hydroxyamidosulphate may change by 

 cumulative resolution, half into a reduced product (amidosulphate), 

 and half into oxidised products together equivalent to the non- 

 existent dihydroxyamidosulphate : 



