ÜXIMIDOSULPHüNATEö OR SULP HAZOTA TES. 



57 



Heated, it explodes giving off much red fume. Water decom- 

 poses it into its component salt-s. Its reaction to litmus is neutral. 



Dipotassium oximidosulphonate and sodium chloride. 



The compound of the dipotassium salt with sodium chloride is 

 obtained by dissolving the finely j)o\vdered potassium salt in cold 

 saturated solution of sodium chloride. Operating sufficiently quickly, 

 35-40 CCS. of the salt solution may be made to dissolve nine o-rams of 

 the potassium salt before the compound begins to crystallise out. 

 The compound salt forms small striated t^ood crystals belono-ino- to 

 the orthorh(jmbic system, and is neutral to litmus. Two preparations 

 were analysed and gave results agreeing with the formula— 5K2HNS2O-, 

 8NaCl, 3OH0, but as water decomposes the compound into indefinite 

 potassium-sodium oximidosulphonates and chlorides of both metals, 

 this formula can only claim to be the simplest expression of the com- 

 position (see further p. 60). 



Calc. (/;) 



Potassium 20-89 20-83 — 



Sodium 9-86 9-73 — 



Sulphur 17-14 17-32 — 



Chlorine 15-21 14*96 14-90 



Mixed sulphates ... 76*87 76*50 76*60 



Potassium sodium oximidosulphonates. 



It is perhaps not impossible, but it is certainly difficult to obtain 

 potassium-sodium oximidosulphonates of very simple composition. 

 Nor is it generally easy to get a salt of the same composition again 

 and again. The salts now to be described must be regarded as 

 examples only of an apparently indefinite number possible to prepare. 



