] I V 1 ) IK) X Y L A ^r I XE-6ei9-DlSULPHONATES. 1 o 



Decomposillon of the Potassiiuii Salt h)/ 

 Potassium Hydroxide. 



Whether potassium hydroxylamiue-ay9-disulplionate is decom- 

 l^osed solely into acid-sulphate, aminenomosulphonate, and nitrogen, 

 ^vllen heated with a concentrated solution of potassium hydroxide 

 (p. o), or whether it is, to a small extent, decomposed into nitrous 

 oxide, according to tlie equation, — 



4(SO,K)0NH(SO3K) + 6K0H = 6(S0,K)0K + 2NH,(S03K) + N^O + 3H,0, 

 is not certain. It is experimentally difficult to get sufficiently 

 trustworthy qualitative results. Even qualitatively, there is 

 the uncertainty to deal with, as to the entire absence of nitrous 

 oxide from the nitrogen obtained. In these experiments, the gas 

 given off extinguished a flaming match and refused when mixed 

 with hydrogen te explode by the electric spark. The occasional 

 production of some nitrous oxide is, perhaps, to be inferred from 

 the ratio of the quantity of sulphur as sulphate to that as 

 aminemonosulphonate found in one experiment, although its j)ro- 

 duction was not thus indicated in another experiment. But, as 

 accuracy in determining this ratio is affected by the fact that 

 the analytic separation of sulphate from aminemonosulphonate 

 is only approximate (this Journ. 9, 281-2 ; 13, ÖO0-6), the 

 production of any nitrous oxide still remains uncertain. Another 

 difficulty in the quantitative examination of the decomposition is 

 that the decom2)ositiou is far from complete after several hours 

 heating at 120.° The presence of still undecomposed salt is shown 

 by the production of hydroxylamine when the products are 

 hydrolysed and by the fact that a temperature of 180°, instead 

 of 150°, is necessary to ensure complete hydrolysis of the products. 



