ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. 137 



processes, names should, if possible, be given them by putting together terms 

 expressive of the several constituents which contribute to form them ; but as 

 no name ought, for the sake of convenience, to exceed in length six or seven 

 syllables, the first syllable only of the vi^ord indicating each component part 

 should be introduced into that of the compound designated. 



This principle I have endeavoured to carry out, in the modifications pro- 

 posed for the names given by Hofmann to the various substances, produced 

 by him through the replacement of atoms of hydrogen by hydrocarbons. 

 The necessity for such abbreviations will, I conceive, be the more felt, now 

 that iu the further prosecution of his researches no less than 4 atoms of 

 hydrogen have been so replaced*. 



2nd. When, owing to the complicated nature of the body discovered, or to 

 the obscurity that hangs over its real nature, it seems impracticable to name 

 it on the plan above proposed, a word expressive of some obvious and 

 marked physical or chemical character should be selected, and one whose 

 Greek or Latin root may be readily apprehended. 



* I must confess myself quite unable to invent pronounceable names for such compounds, 

 if it be ruled, that they are to express, not merely the nature of the constituents, but likewise 

 the origin or mode of fonnation attributed to each. 



Provided the latter condition be waved, I do not despair of assigning to them terms little 

 more difficult to articulate than those proposed for the bodies described in Dr. Hofinann's 

 preceding papers. Should the alterations suggested be regarded as sinning against any un- 

 derstood Canons of Nomenclature, I see no alternative, but that of discarding names for these 

 new bodies altogether, and contenting ourselves vvith symbols ; for a word which cannot be 

 uttered, whilst it is iu no respect preferable to a symbol, is much less easily written ; and such 

 I apprehend to be the case with some of the terms which I have given below, and for which 

 therefore, I venture to propose the annexed substitutes : — 



Symbol. Hofmann's Names. Names suggested. 



C* H5 f NO, HO... Oxide of Triethylophenylammonium Oxide of Triethyphenine. 



C12 H5 J 

 C2 H3 1 



CioSu [no, HO...{j^^thyIethylamylophenylammomum}-" Oxide of Methamyphenine. 



C»2H5 J 



C^ H5 1 



C* H5 [NO, HO... Oxide of Tetrethylammonium Oxide of Tetrethine. 



C* H5 J 

 C* H5 1 



C* H5 f NO, HO... Oxide of Triethylammonium Oxide of Triethine. 



CIO HH J 

 C* HS 



(-14 XI5 I 



C* H5 f NO, HO... Oxide of Triethylomethylammonium Oxide of Triethemethine. 



C2 H3 

 C2 H3 



c* HI r^O, HO... Oxide of Diethylomethylamylammonium... Oxide of Diethemethamine. 



C" H*. J 

 (7 H3 1 



r2 H3 f-NO, HO... Oxide of Tetramethylammonium Oxide of Tetramethine. 



C3 H* J 

 CIO Hii 1 



rioHii f^O, HO... Oxide of Tetramylammonium „ Oxide of Tetramine. 



CiOH"J 



