104 M. Baudrimont on a new Sulphide of Carbon. 
Wohler and Buff have not yet been able to establish its quanti- 
tative composition, for it is always mixed with variable quantities 
of free hydrogen. It appears to contain an equal volume of 
hydrogen. This gas, siliciuretted hydrogen, is also obtained 
when aluminium containing silicon is dissolved in hydrochloric 
acid; but in this case it is mixed with so much free hydrogen 
that it is not spontancously inflammable in the air. 
On heating silicon toa dull red heat in a current of dry hydro- 
chloric acid gas, the latter is decomposed, yielding hydrogen and 
a new chloride of silicon. This is a mobile fuming liquid, more 
volatile than ordinary chloride of silicon, and is decomposed by 
water into hydrochloric acid and into a white substance, which 
is a new oxide of silicon. The latter is slightly soluble in water, 
very soluble in alkalies, hydrogen being evolved, and silicic acid 
being formed. It is a hydrate which does not lose its water at 
300° C., but heated to redness in the air, it takes fire and 
burns with a very white light, evolving hydrogen which inflames. 
The attempts made to determine the composition of the new 
oxide and the new chloride have not given satisfactory results. 
Most of the numbers agree with the formule Si? O° and Si? CP ; 
but these appear improbable, and it is not certain that pure sub- 
stances have been obtained. The corresponding bromine and 
iodine compounds have been obtained by the same methods. 
The bromide is a fuming liquid, very volatile; the iodide is a 
dark red solid, very fusible and volatile, which decomposes in 
moist air into hydriodie acid and the white oxide. 
Baudrimont* has discovered a new sulphide of carbon, which 
stands in the same relation to carbonic oxide, CO, that bisul- 
phide of carbon, CS?, does to carbonic acid, CO”. It may be 
formed by a variety of reactions, but the best method consists 
in passing the vapour of bisulphide of carbon over spongy pla- 
tinum, or over pumice heated to redness. In this case CS? de- 
composes into sulphur, and into a gaseous body which is the new 
subsulphide. This reaction shows its formation in the most pre- 
cise manner. 
It is also obtained in the process of making bisulphide of 
carbon,—by the action of hydrogen on bisulphide of carbon at_a 
red heat; by calcining sulphide of antimony with excess of 
charcoal ; by the action of oxide of carbon on sulphuretted hy- 
drogen at ahigh temperature, CO+HS=HO+CS; and by the 
action of sulphurous acid, or of chloride of sulphur on olefiant 
gas at a red heat; it is also produced in the destructive distilla- 
tion of sulphocyanogen. 
The first method yields it pretty pure, in the others it is mixed 
* Comptes Rendus, May 19 1857. 
