( 3 ) 



The l)lack substiince is stronjïly altackod hy diliilc nilric arid ainl also 

 hy Itroinino \val(M'. On li(>atinp,' at 100° in a cuiTciit of dry iiydroLCon 

 it loses \voi<j;iit coiitiniiowsly and IIm^ blacU colour' ciiaiijres to I'od. 



On Ifcatnicnt \\ itii dilute acids it heliaves exactly like the product 

 isolatcMl \)\ ScMKNCK from i-ed |ilios|)lioi'us and ammonia M- It i^^ then 

 converted into a iij^ht red amorphous |)o\v(ler whilst tlu^ solution 

 appears to contain a salt of hydra/Jne. The re<l j)o\v(lor has the 

 external api)earance of red phosphorus hut is distin<;uished from this 

 I)y a more oranj;e tin<2je and its behaviour towaids alkalis. Ammonia 

 and dilute soda ov potash yield black products, which however on 

 prolonjied washiiif»- with water lose tlieii- feebly combined alkali and 

 assume their original red color. The substance, therefore, behaves as 

 a weak acid which forms black alkali salts which readily underjjjo 

 hydrolysis. 



Strong" alkalis act ener«!;etically on the red substance with formation 

 of hydroyen j>hos|»hide and a salt of liyp(>phos|)hoi-ous acid. 



In the analysis of the black and the red sidtstance the phosphorus 

 was determined by means of dilute Jiitric acid (in sealed tid>es) and 

 with bi-omine water. The nitrogen deterndnation was done volume- 

 trically with bromiiie water in a cui*re]d of carbon dioxide; and the 

 hydrogen by an elementary' analysis. 



* The a\ei-age result was 45.9 "/„ V, 19.8 N and 5.5 " '„ II ; total 

 71.2; the balance may l)e taken as represeiding oxygen. 



The red comj)Ound was free from nitrogen so that the black product 

 appears to be the hydrazine derivative of the red substance. 



The product dried in a desiccator in vacuo containe(l 91.7 "/o I' 

 and 1.1 v., H^). 



2. If we place in a vacuum tube an excess of yellow i)hosphorus 

 with free hydi-a/.ine N., 11^, we also notice (although soonei- than in 

 the case of the acfueons solution) the formatio)i of a black amoi-phons 

 substance which in appearance (pdte i'esend)les the product obtain(Ml 

 from liydrated hydrazine. No white substance is of course formed. 

 Iiai-dly any pressure is noticed and also little or no formation (d" 

 hydrogen phosi)hide takes place. This gas, like the hydrazine |»lios- 

 [)hile, therefore owed its origin to the well-known reaction between 

 phosphorus and a base. 



1) That black compounds aie also formed from li(iueliod ammonia and white 

 Iilio.sphoruö is shown by the experiments of Goue, l^'oc. Hoy. Soc. 21. liO. (lS7:i), 

 FuANKLiiN and Kr..\us, Amer. (lli. .1. 20. 8i>(). (ISl)S), and Hroor, Ann. Clhim. Pbys. 

 21. 2S. (iOOU). 



~) This tigure is almost sure to be too higli owing to the nalme of tiic process 

 (elementary analysis). 



1- 



