52 HYPONITßlTES ; PROPERTIES A^D PREPARATION RY 



It is readily oxidised by strong nitric acid. Strong sul- 

 pliuric acid acts energetically, the heat of reaction being itself 

 quite sufficient to decompose some of the salt, a fact which 

 accounts for the 2:)roduction of some nitric peroxide and nitrosyl 

 sulphate (see effects of heating, this vol., p. 54). It is not decom- 

 posed by a cold solution of sodium carbonate or by one of 

 sodium hydroxide if it is weak. It is fully decomposed by its 

 equivalent of potassium iodide in solution, but only imperfectly 

 by a solution of sodium chloride used not in good excess. 

 When a solution of sodium chloride is shaken with excess of 

 undried silver hyponitrite, decomposition cesses when the two 

 sodium salts in the solution are in the proportion of ISeq. 

 chloride to 25eq. hyponitrite, or by weight, 4 chloride to o 

 anhydrous hyponitrite. Absolute alcohol in large excess effects 

 a j^artial separation of the two sodium salts, as already de- 

 scribed (p. 43). 



Silver hyponitrite in the moist state is not entirely stable, 

 decomposing even at the common temperature, though exceed- 

 ingly slowly, light and heat quickening the change and the 

 former modifying it to some extent. The decomposition is made 

 evident l)y the salt losing its brightness of colour, by its 

 answering to the iodide and starch test for a nitrite, and by 

 its yielding up to water more silver salt (not nitrite, apparently 

 nitrate) than its own very slight solubility accounts for. The 

 salt may be washed with l^oiling water, or even be l)oiled with 

 water without very apparent result, but contiuuous boiling not 

 only has marked effect in docomj)Osing it l)ut an action which 

 grows in intensity, even though the water is fre(|uently replaced • 

 The water comes to contain material quantities of silver nitrate, 

 while the solid salt gives the reaction for nitrite. Masses of 



