224 



E. DIVERS AND T. ITAGA 



sociation or chemical fission — 



HONHS0 3 K + 2K0H = KONKS0 3 K + 21FO 

 2KONKS0 3 K = (KON) 2 + 2K,S0 3 

 Raschig lias observed a closely similar decomposition of Fremy's 

 potassium sulphazite by strong potash into sulphite and nitrite. 



AVe would gladly account for the differences between the results 

 found by the other chemists and our own, but we can do little in 

 this direction. AVe have to face the tact that Claus's work was quan- 

 titative. The only suggestion we can offer is that Fremy and Claus's 

 originally pure preparations were not treated with alkali until they 

 had been kept long enough to undergo their usual decomposition 

 (fully in Claus's case) — 



2HONH(SO : ,K),OH 2 =(HONH 3 ) 2 SO I + K 2 SO, 



into hvdroxvamine and sulphate. Such a mixture would behave 

 just as they found. As for oxygen, Fremy must have mistaken ni- 

 trous oxide for it, and in making this supposition we have evidently 

 the support of Clans and Raschig. Lastly, as for Claus's nitrous oxide 

 diluted with nitrogen, dilution with air and steam may perhaps have 

 been the cause of his not having got such a gas as Fremy and we 

 ourselves got. 



Oxyamidosulphonates evaporated to dryness on a water-bath 

 with either potassium or sodium carbonate evolves carbon dioxide 1 

 during the last stages of the evaporation, and yields much sulphite. 

 No hyponitrite can remain undecomposed in such circumstances. 

 Even a solution of the oxyamidosulphonate left in the cold for a day 

 with the carbonate shows evidence of the presence of a little sulphite. 



Repeated evaporations with potassium acetate leave an alkaline 

 mixture containing a minute quantity of sulphite. 



