54"1< Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



by the action of water, setting free the ethyle, either pure or as an 

 hydrate. Lowig further remarks, that a combination of ethyle with 

 sulphur, analogous to that with potassium, exists, and may be pre- 

 pared by adding an alcoholic solution of sulphuret of potassium to 

 chloride of ethyle ; in a short time chloride of potassium is de- 

 posited, and the sulphureous combination left in solution. 



Poggendorff, J7«?«a/en, 45, p. 347. Oct. 1838, 



SEPARATION OF PHOSPHORUS FROM ITS OXIDE. BY M. 

 BOTTGER. 



All chemists who have prepared oxide of phosphorus by the usual 

 method of burning phosphorus under water by a current of oxygen 

 gas, are aware that a considerable quantity of free phosphorus ad- 

 heres mechanically to the oxide thus obtained ; and that it is re- 

 moved with extreme difficulty, however cautiously the distillation 

 may be conducted. This difficulty is derived from the circum- 

 stances, that if a current of gas free from oxygen be not continually 

 passed into the distillatory apjiaratus, and the heat be not carefully 

 regulated, the oxide of phosphorus decomposes very readily, while 

 too low a temperature does not completely expel the phosphorus. 

 Some good methods of obtaining oxide of phosphorus have lately 

 been published, among others, that of M. Leverrier, by chloride of 

 phosphorus, which leaves nothing to be wished for ; but M. Bottger 

 thinks that his process is probably more easy of execution. He has 

 found that sulphuret of carbon is of all known bodies the best sol- 

 vent of phosphorus; in fact, contrary to the generally admitted 

 opinion, that this substance can dissolve only 8 parts of phospho- 

 rus, he has proved that it can dissolve 20 at a mean temperature, 

 whereas the oxide of phosphorus is not at all acted upon by it ; the 

 method which he proposes is the following : put the impure oxide 

 of phosphorus, obtained by combustion, into a large bottle, pour sul- 

 phuret of carbon upon it, with an equal measure of absolute alco- 

 hol : cork the bottle, and shake it well for about a minute, then 

 allow the oxide to subside, and pour off the phosphorized liquor ; re- 

 peat this operation with a fresh portion of the sulphuret and alcohol, 

 and then put the oxide of phosphorus on a filter, and wash it first 

 with alcohol and then with water ; after this dry it by exposure to 

 the air, or what is still better under a receiver over sulphuric acid. 



The product thus obtained appears to possess all the properties of 

 pure oxide of phosphorus ; when heated in the air, it resists com- 

 bustion at a high temperature. When mixed with chlorate of 

 potash it j)roduces a strongly detonating powder, violent explosion 

 taking place even during mixture, without employing any consider- 

 able pressure. It is desirable to determine by analysis whether the 

 oxide obtained by this process is similar to the yellow oxide procu- 

 red by that of M. Leverrier. According to Pelouze the oxide obtained 

 by combustion and purified by distillation consists of 3 ats. phos- 

 phorus + 1 at. oxygen, wliile that procured by the decomposition 

 of the chloride consists, according to Leverrier, of 4 ats. phosphorus 

 -h 1 at. oxygen. — Journ, de Phar. Feb. 1839. 



INDEX 



