370 nR THOMAS ANDERSON ON CERTAIN PRODUCTS OF DECOMPOSITION 



tion of a peculiar nauseous smelling oil. The sparing solubility of tliis compound 

 in alcohol renders its preparation in suJBBcient quantity for analysis an extremely 

 tedious process, and I have sought in vain for a more abundant solvent. The 

 onl}'^ substance which I have found capable of taking it up in larger quantity, is 

 coal-tai- naphtha, but its employment is inadmissible, as the best which can be 

 procured is an extremely impure substance, and the crystals of the compound 

 deposited from it always acquire a rose or violet tint from some of its impurities. 

 Oil of turpentine likewise dissolves it, but not more abundantly than alcohol. 



By many successive solutions in alcohol, I obtained enough of this substance 

 for an analysis, of which the following are the results : — 



12-302 grains, dried in vacuo, gave 

 6*592 ••• of carbonic acid, and 

 3-018 - of water. 



8-061 grains, deflagrated Avith a mixture of nitre and carbonate of soda, gave 

 7-297 grains of sulphate of baryta = 1-00G7 = 12-48 per cent, of sulphur. 



The mercury and chlorine were determined together by mixing the substance 

 with quicklime, and introducing the mixture into a combustion tube. The end 

 was then dra'mi out into an elongated bulb, into which the mercury sublimed, 

 and which was afterwards cut off, dried in the water-bath, and weighed, both 

 with and without the mercury ; the chlorine was determined in the usual way 

 from the residue in the tube. 



9-958 grains gave 5-976 mercury - 60-01 per cent., and 4-310 grains chloride 

 of silver = 10-67 per cent, of chlorine. 



5-797 grains gave 2409 of chloride of silver = 10-25 per cent, of chlorine. 



These results correspond closely with the formula C16 His So Hg^ CI,, as is 

 shewn by the following comparisons : — 



posed to represent the rational formula of this substance. On the contrary, the 

 remarkable analogy between its properties and those of the mercm-y compound 

 of stilphuret of allyl appear clearly to indicate a similarity in their chemical con- 

 stitution, — a similarity which, as we shall afterwards see, is borne out by the 

 properties of the platinum compound. I consider this substance to contain an or- 



