( 340 ) 



diformate. After the action is over the ester has again disappeared, 

 and a mixture of propanediol (1. 2) and formamide has formed. 



7 grams of this diformate being mixed with 10 grams of piperidine 

 the temperatnre rose from 20^ to 120° and on fractionation it again 

 appeared that the ester had been completely converted into propanediol, 

 whilst the form} Ipiperidine, after a few distillations, conld be separated 

 in a fairly pure condition. The boiling point was a little too low, 

 proliably owing to traces of the glycol. 



With 7 grams of benzylamine, the diformate of propanediol (1. 2.) 

 gave a rise from 20^ to 110°. On distillation the formed glycol 

 passed ON-er at about 190^. The residue which had been heated to 

 about 250^ (thermometer immersed in the liquid) solidified on cooling, 

 and consisted of nearly pure benzylformamide. It may be distilled 

 at about 295'' with only slight decomposition. The distilled product 

 had a faint odour of carbylamine, and melted at 59°. By recrystal- 

 lisation the melting point rose to 61°. 



If gaseous ammonia is passed into a mixture of formines of gly- 

 cerol, such as is obtained for instance by boiling glycerol with 

 formic acid, or heating with oxalic acid, and then removing the 

 free formic acid by distillation in vacuo, it is absorbed with great 

 evolution of heat. After expelling the excess of ammonia and distilling 

 in vacuo a rich yield of almost pure formamide is obtained. 



In one of my experiments 66 grams of formine (yielding 65 "/o 

 of formic acid on saponification) was saturated Avilh ammonia. In 

 the tirst distillation 22 grams of formamide m.p. O'' and 17 grams 

 dito m.p. — 2° were separated whilst 40 grams of glycerol re- 

 mained in the distilling flask. The yield was therefore practically 

 the theoretical one so that this method may be recommended for 

 the rapid preparation of formamide in large quantities. 



With pure triformine ^j the action of ammonia is slower than with 

 the above mentioned mixture. Triformine of glycerol eagerly absorbs 

 gaseous dimethylamine with strong evolution of heat, and on distil- 

 lation in vacuo a good yield of the diinethylfoi'inanide b. p. ISS'' is 

 obtained. Piperidine gives with triformine a considerable rise in 

 temperature (from 20^ to 70 ). 



Dipropylamine forms with triformine, at first, two layers. After a 

 liltle shaking (the tem])erature rose from 18° to 77°) the liquid becomes 

 homogeneous, and by distillation in vacuo a good yield of the dipropyl- 

 formamide formed could be readily obtained. 



With diisobutylamine, triformine also giA'es t\vo layers which do 



1) I hope to communicate about this substance, shortly. 



