78 HYPONITKITES ; PEOPERTIIS AND PKEPAHATION EY 



longer necessary, after Zorn's decisive researches, supplemented 

 by those of Hantzsch and Kaufmann. Prof. Ikeda has given 

 me the following details : — 



M. p. of Na,SA=48.4° (Tilden found 48.5°); 



H. of fusion =.42.8 cal. (Ikeda); 



Wt. of tbiosulpbate used = 40.9 grams: 



Wt. of sodium hyponitrite used = g grams; 



Dp. of solidifying pt. = JT^; 



Mol. wt. of hyponitrite = m. 



m=A..__S_.^l^Z^±iMr_A_ 118.1 

 JT 40.9 42.8 -JT 



g JT° m 



.1.52 0.115 156 



.467 0.509 108 



1.066 1.260 100 



1.238 1.501 97 



In cases where no decomposition of the salt occurs, the method 

 gives results too high, as, for example, 78.6 instead of 69, for 

 sodium nitrite; but taking into consideration the partial hydro- 

 lysis of the hyponitrite that certainly takes place, its molecular 

 weight is clearly indicated as 106 rather than 53. 



Gondiiutlon. — The constitution (HNO)o seems to be excluded 

 by considerations of valency, but the positive evidence for (HON),, 

 is ample. Zorn's observation that ethyl hyponitrite decomposes 

 into nitrogen and alcohol (and aldehyde), even in presence of 

 reducing agents, establishes the diazo constitution of hyponi- 

 trites. Never is ammonia or other amine produced in the decom- 

 position of any hyponitrite. Then, the conversion of an oxy- 

 amidosulphonate into hyponitrite affords a beautiful demonstration 

 of the oxylic constitution of the hyponitrites — 



