152 



PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION B. 



Abstracts, 11, 216-1898.) It is, however, recorded in the abstract 

 of Besson's paper, which is at my disposal, that tlie oxide is stable in 

 water. 



II. The reaction between phosphorus trichloride and anhydrous 

 oxalic acid was also examined by allowing the substances to react at 

 various temperatures in sealed tubes from which the. air had been 

 exhausted. After the tubes were cooled the evolved gases were col- 

 lected over mercuiy and analysed, the requisite corrections for the 

 vapour pressure of phosphorus trichloride being made from the data 

 given by Regnauet. Experiments were made at 17 degrees, 66 

 degrees, 78 degrees, 100 degrees, and 150 degrees. Only in the first 

 of these cases did a clear solution result. The ratio of gases evolved 

 is given in the following table : — 



The results indicate that the first action of excess of phosphorus 

 trichloride on anhydrous oxalic acid is in accordance with the equation 

 given by Hurtzig and Geuther — 



3 aH,0, + PClj = P(0H)3 + 3 CO + 3 CO, + 3 HCl 



According to which equal volumes of the three gases are produced. A 

 slight rise of temperature, however, appears to cause a second action 

 between the excess of phosphorus trichloride and the phosphoric acid 

 already formed. If this second action were represented by the 

 equation — 



3 P(OH )3 + PC13 = P,0 + 2 H3PO, + 3 HCl 



then for every molecule of phosphorous acid originally formed J mole- 

 cule of hydrochloric acid gas would result, or the volume of hydro- 

 chloric acid gas resulting from the second action should be a third of 

 that resulting from the first. Examination of the above table shows 

 that at 150 degrees this is approximately the case. At temperatures 

 higher than 70 degrees the total reaction may be represented by the 

 equation — 



9 0,H,0, + 4 PCI3 = RO + 2 H3PO, -f 9 CO + 9 CO, + 12 HCl. 



