CHEMISTRY. 509 



volume of the liquid increasos fjreatly (2i timos) and !lic yi'Ilow color 

 passes to brown, and at the end of the reaction to a dark green. The 

 products form two layers ; one is aqueous and contains nitrous acid 

 and the oxidation products of glycerine ; the other, which is three times 

 greater in volume, contains chiefly a nitrous ether of glycerine. To 

 isolate the latter the two layers are sei)arated, and the larger portion is 

 distilled on a water-bath in a strong current of hydrogen. The dis- 

 tillate is the trinitrous ether of glycerine, C;jn5(NO;i)3, mixed probably 

 with the dinitrous compound. 



This new body is a yellow, mobile liquid, volatile at ordinary temper- 

 atures, distilling at 15()o, and decomposing in i)art with liber.ition of 

 reddish vapors. Its density at 1(P is 1.U91. It burns with a \\ hite flame 

 and does not detonate when struck. It has a strong nitrous odor. It 

 is soluble in ether, in chloroform, and in benzine, and insoluble in car- 

 bon disulphide. It dissolves in acetic acid, with a green color and lib- 

 eration of NO; it is rapi<lly reduced by H-^S; it is decomposed by 

 KoCO:), forming KNO;,. This ether is insoluble in water, but the latter 

 liberates NO at the point of contact, especially when warmed or agi- 

 tated. Exposed to the air in ])resence of moisture the body forms crys- 

 tals of oxalic acid. It cannot be preserved in sealed tubes, for it spon- 

 taneously decomposes with evolution of gas in such quantities as to 

 break them. {Journ. Chcm. Soc, XLiii, 341.) 



Synthesis of a Coloring Matter similar to that of Litmus, by M. 0. Traub 

 and C. Hock. — By the action of small quantities of sodium nitrite on 

 resorciue at 150*^ a deep-blue material is obtained, which is reddened 

 by an acid in the same manner as a litmus solution. 



The best method of i)reparing the new body is as follows : 100 i)arts 

 of resorcine, 5 of sodium nitrite, and 5 of water are heated in a flask 

 over an oil-bath gradually to 110°. The yellow mass becomes darker 

 aiul a lively reaction sets in, necessitating moderation of heat; the con- 

 tents of the flask becomes raspberry red and the action is quieter; 

 then the heat is increased to 11.5°, or 120° at the highest, ammonia be- 

 ing disengaged and the material becoming blue. 



The deep-blue solution is diluted and a quantity of hydrochloric acid 

 is added, forming a precipitate, which is colli-cted on a filter and dried. 

 As thus obtained it forms a shining, red-brown, amorphous body, insol- 

 uble in chloroform, benzene, and benzine, and soluble in methyl-, ethyl- 

 and amyl-alcohol, iu ether, and pure water. All these solutions show 

 a peculiar red color, which is turned to blue by the slightest trace of an 

 alkali. The alkaline solution shows a broad band in its spectrum near 

 the line D, which shades oft' toward E. In acid solution it cuts oft' the 

 more refrangible parts of the spectrum 



The exact nature of this substance is under investigation. {Berichte 

 d. chcm Ges. xvii, 2015.) 



