IIVnrv()XYr.AMIXI>^A9-I)ISULP]l()NATES. 3 



HON(S03K), + ;MvOH = 2(SO,K)K + NOoK+ 2H2O ; 

 3(!S0,K)0NH(S0,K) + ") KOH = 5(S0,K)0K + NH2(S0,K) + N, + 3H.,0. 



The lower of these equations recalls the action of heated alkalis 

 upon hydroxylamine (Lossen) and in)on hydroxylaminemonosul- 

 phonate (Claus). The upper equation brings out strongly the 

 oxiniidic constitution of the /9^9-salt. 



It is an interesting fact that the course of the hydrolysis 

 of the two salts in acidified solution is widely different, but it 

 is a fact which cannot apparently be used to establish the 

 nature of the difference in their constitution. The i'^lß-or long- 

 known salt, by losing one of its two sulphonate groups, readily 

 passes into the hydroxylamine-/9-monosulphonate, H0NH(Ö03K), 

 whereas the new or «^5-disulphonate passes (p. lo), much less 

 easily, into acid sulphate and hydroxylamine itself (and j)roducts 

 of its well-knowai decomposition), without ever affording evidence 

 of any production of a monosulphonate, which in this case 

 should have the «-constitution, expressed by (S0;;K)0NH.2, and, 

 as an amidogenium salt, be perhaps incapable of existence. The 

 slowness with which an a,9-salt begins to hydrolyse is illustrated 

 by the fact that a solution of the potassium salt will remain 

 clear for five minutes at the common temperature after it has 

 been mixed with hydrochloric acid and barium chloride, where- 

 as a solution of the ^î'^î-salt will almost at once begin to show 

 turbidity. When the hydrolysis of the «^9-salt proceeds in the 

 absence of much or any hydrochloric acid, nitrogen and ammonia 

 very largely take the place of the hydroxylamine which is 

 obtained in nearly the theoretical quantity when the salt hydro- 

 lyses in presence of a sufliciently concentrated hydrochloric-acid 

 solution. The following equation expresses what principally 

 hajipens in the absence of hydrochloric acid ; 



