;8 - JOURNAL OF THE 



diphenyl, but in very small amounts, neither heptyl iodide nor 

 bromide yielding it in suflBcient amounts for further work. The 

 waste of the heptane in these processes prevented a continuation of 

 the research. 



ATTEMPTS TO FORM MERCUROUS HYPOPHOS- 



PHITE. 



E. A. de SCHWEINITZ. 



1°, A solution of pure sodium hypophosphite when added to a 

 solution of mercurous nitrate gave a white precipitate, which quickly 

 became yellow, brown and finally black. This action or change 

 could not be prevented, and hence the character of the precipitate 

 was not determined. 2°. Freshly precipitated mercurous oxide was 

 treated with hypophosphorous acid at a low temperature and in the 

 dark, but the acid merely acted as a reducing agent, metallic mercury 

 being formed. The acid was prepared by heating phosphorus with 

 barium hydroxide solution, the barium hypophosphite decomposed 

 carefully by diluted sulphuric acid and the acid concentrated. 

 3°. A solution of sodium hypophosphite was added to a solution 

 of mercurous nitrate, the latter in excess, with suflBcient water 

 to dissolve most of the hypophosphite formed, the liquid quickly fil- 

 tered in the dark and the filtrate caught in a vessel surrounded with 

 a freezing mixture. Tiis filtrate then yielded white needle-like crys- 

 tals. These were partially dried on a watch glass, under the re- 

 ceiver of an air pump, the light being carefully excluded, and were 

 then analyzed. The results obtained were, Hg. 74.72, P. 10.84 

 per cent. Supposing the formula for mercurous hypophosphite 

 to be Hgo (Hg2POa)3 the calculated per cent, of mercury and P 

 would be, Hg. 75.47, P. 11.69, — nearly the same proportion as 

 found by analysis in the supposed mercurous hypophosphite. As 

 the crystals could not be completely dried without decomposition, 

 the difference in the actual per cent, and that as calculated was due 

 to water. Want of time prevented the determination of water, 

 but the results as obtained point to the formation of the desired 

 salt. The crystals were difficultly soluble in water, hence they 

 could be obtained by crystallization at a low temperature. 



