294 Dr. Kane on a nevo class of Platina-salts. 



When a solution of this salt is treated with sulphate of soda, 

 a new compound separates in needles. This is also obtained 

 by decomposing the first salt by dilute sulphuric acid, nitric 

 acid being expelled. A solution of this salt yields no preci- 

 pitate with nitrate of barytes, but gives sulphate of baryles 

 when an excess of nitric or muriatic acid is added. Its analysis 

 gives the formula Pt CI Ng Hg S O4. 



On mixing a warm solution of the nitric acid salt with 

 oxalic acid, a white powder, insoluble in water, is thrown 

 down, which has the composition Pt CI N„ H^ Cg O,,. 



With a solution of common salt another compound is ge- 

 nerated, the composition of which is Pt Cl^ N,, Hg. 



When we compare the above formulae with one another, 

 we obsei've that there is common to all, the elements of an atom 

 of protochloride of platina, one of amidogene and one of 

 ammonium, Pt CI + N H., 4- N H4, and that the changeable 

 element is such, as to form, with the ammonium, an ordinary 

 ammoniacal salt. The simplest rational formula which could 

 be devised for them, should therefore be to look upon the 

 platina as having been raised to the state of percombination by 

 the nitric acid, a chloramide being formed, Pt -f- CI NH,,, re- 

 sembling the bichloride, an atom of chlorine being replaced 

 by amidogene, as an atom of oxygen may be replaced in 

 chromic acid by chlorine. Then the foi'mulae of Gros's salts 

 become 



1. (Pt + CI . Ad) + (Am . O + N O5). 



2. (Pt + CI . Ad) + (Am . O + S O3). 



3. (Pt + CI . Ad) + ( Am . O -h C. O3). 



4. (Pt+ CI .Ad) + (Am .CI). 



MM. Gros and Liebig reject this view on the following 

 grounds : 1st, that the difficulty which is found in expeUing 

 the ammonia from these compounds excludes the idea of the 

 presence of an ordinary ammoniacal salt; and 2nd, that the 

 sulphuric acid compound not immediately precipitating a salt 

 of barytes, shows that common sulphate of ammonia does not 

 exist therein. Gros therefore considers that the platina, 

 chlorine, nitrogen, and hydrogen are all united together in a 

 compound radical, which in No. 4. is united to chlorine, and 

 in the others with oxygen and an acid. Thus, Pt CI 

 No Hfi =: X we have, 



1. PtClNsHgOe =X.O + N05. 



2. Pt CI N , Hg S O4 = X . O -h S O3. 



3. Pt CI N; He C, O4 = X . O + C, O3. 



4. PtCLN, Hg = X.Cl. 



Liebig endeavours to establish a relation between this com- 

 pound radical and ammonium, by proposing to consider the 



