396 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



Hydrocarburet of bromine after washing with potash is colour- 

 less, heavier than water, of a penetrating asthereal smell, an ex- 

 tremely sweet taste which it imparts to the water that covers it, and 

 in which it is but slightly soluble; it is extremely volatile, and re- 

 mains solid at 40° to 42^ Fahr., and is about as hard as camphor. 

 M. SeruUas obtained hydrobromic aether by distilling from a small 

 tubulated retort a mixture of 38 parts of alcohol, one part of phos- 

 phorus, and 7 or 8 parts of bromine, gradually added. When the 

 bromine came into contact with the phosphorus under the alcohol, 

 rapid action took place with the extrication of heat, and hydrobromic 

 and phosphorous acids were formed. These are to be distilled with 

 a gentle heat, and the product is to be received in a well-cooled 

 receiver. The distilled liquor being mixed with water, the hydro- 

 bromic tether separates. If any acid be present, the washing wa- 

 ter is to have a small quantity of potash added to it. 



Hydrobromic lether is colourless, and transparent after long 

 standing ; it is heavier than water, and has a sharp taste and a strong 

 lethereal odour. It is very volatile, and soluble in alcohol, from 

 which it is precipitated by water. It does not suffer any alteration 

 o f colour, as hydriodic aether does when kept under water. 



CYANURET OF BROMINE. 



M. Serullas obtains this by the following process. — Put at the 

 bottom of a small tubulated retort, or a long glass tube, two parts 

 of dried cyanuret of mercury, that there may be excess of it. This 

 long tube is to be placed in cold water or a freezing mixture, and 

 one part of bromine is then to be added ; the action is very consi- 

 derable ; so much heat is given out, that without the artificial cool- 

 ing, the high temperature would prevent the bromine from coming 

 into contact with cyanuret of mercury ; bromuret of mercury, and 

 cyanuret of bromine are formed ; the latter crystallizes in the form 

 of long needles in the upper part of the tube, surrounded by a little 

 vapour of bromine which disappears by causing it to condense, 

 and fall back upon the cyanuret of mercury. 



A small well cooled receiver is then adapted to the orifice of the 

 tube, into which by the application of a slight degree of heat, the 

 cyanuret of bromine rises and crystallizes in cubes or needles. 

 Cyanuret of bromine so strongly resembles cyanuret of iodine in its 

 physical properties, that they may be readily confounded, espe- 

 cially when the former is acicular : the cyanuret of bromine has a 

 penetrating smell, more so even than the cyanuret of iodine; and 

 it is also more volatile; it becomes aeriform at about 15° below 

 zero (Centigrade), and suddenly crystallizes by cooling. Cyanuret 

 of bromine is more soluble in water and alcohol tiian cyanuret of 

 iodine. Solution of potash converts it into hydrocyanate and hy- 

 drobromate of potash. This solution, when nitrate of silver is add- 

 ed, gives a precipitate of cyanuret and bromuret of silver, which 

 are easily separable, the latter being soluble in ammonia, and the 

 former not. The different experiments to which the cyanuret of 

 bromine was subjected, never deprived the bromine of its character- 

 istic 



