108 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



interesting results might be obtained if solutions of iron in organic 

 solvents were subjected to electrolysis under definite conditions. 



Kahlenberg,^ who was perhaps the first to study the electrolysis 

 of non-aqueous solutions, found that Faraday's Law was valid for 

 such solutions. He deposited silver from pyridine, aniline, phenyl- 

 cyanide and quinoline solutions. Experiments with lead and anti- 

 mony gave similar results. 



Acetone and methyl alcohol solutions of cupric and cobalt chlor- 

 ides were studied by Speranky and Goldberg^; they found these 

 solutions to be very poor conductors of the electric current while 

 non-metallic deposits were obtained. 



Acetone solutions of potassium iodine, lithium chloride, potassium 

 sulphocyanide and silver nitrate were investigated by Lasczynski.' 

 The electrolysis of potassium iodide yielded iodine at the anode, while 

 from the lithium chloride solution metallic lithium was deposited on a 

 copper cathode. The potassium sulpho-cyanide gave with platinum 

 electrodes a yellow deposit insoluble in acetone, water, dilute acids 

 or alkalies. With silver nitrate a deposit of silver, on the cathode, in 

 a fine pulverent form, was obtained. 



Authors' Experiments. 



In the present experiments acetone was the solvent first employed. 

 Unless otherwise stated, the electrodes were of platinum while the 

 temperature was maintained very near 25°C. 



Experiment 1. A solution of ferric chloride in acetone was elec- 

 trolysed with a difference of potential of 4 volts and an amperage of 

 0-02 amps. After twenty four hours considerable of the iron had 

 been deposited on the cathode as a bright red, non-adherent deposit. 

 In an attempt to precipitate all of the iron the voltage was increased 

 to 6 volts and the electrolysis continued for twelve hours. All of the 

 iron was deposited but the deposit was black due to the presence of 

 carbon. 



Experiment 2. Some pure iron wire was carefully weighed and 

 dissolved in hydrochloric acid. The solution was then evaporated to 

 dryness. The ferric chloride, containing a trace of free hydrochloric 

 acid, was dissolved in acetone and electrolysed with a voltage of 

 6-0 volts for twelve hours, when the deposition was apparently 

 complete. The red precipitate was dissolved in dilute sulphuric 

 acid, and upon titration with permanganate it was found that practi- 



ijour. Phys. Chem., 4, 349, (1900). 

 2Jour. Russian Phys. Soc, 32, 797 (1900). 

 3Zeit. fur Electro-chemie, 2, 55 (1895). 



