278 M. Schiff on Chloride of Thionyle. 
phite of pentachloride of phosphorus. Schiff* has found, that 
on submitting this liquid to fractional distillation, it can be 
separated into oxychloride of phosphorus, and into a liquid boil- 
ing at 182° C., which has an extraordinary refrangibility, decom- 
poses with water into sulphurous and hydrochloric acids, and 
with alcohol into hydrochloric and ethylosulphurous acids. 
This body has the formula S? 0? Cl’, and is formed according 
to the equation PCI’ + 2S0?= PO? Cl? +8? O? Cl’, If sulphurous 
acid and its derivatives be considered to be the compounds of a 
bibasic radical, S?O?, which might be called thionyle, gaseous 
sulphurous acid would have the formula s° ot , and the above 
“ompound would be the chloride of this radical, “ort » or chlo- 
ride of thionyle. When treated with ammonia, violent action 
ensues, which must be moderated, and the result is the forma- 
tion of a white uncrystalline product, which consists of a mixture 
of sal-ammoniac and the amide of this radical, thionylamide,— 
wee S20 
crs +4NH8=N?< H? +2NH‘CL. 
H2 
ores of Thionylamide. 
thionyle. 
The action of anhydrous sulphuric acid on pentachloride of 
phosphorus is quite analogous to that of sulphurous acid. A 
body, PCI? S? 0%, is formed which is a mixture of oxychloride of 
phosphorus, and S$? 07 Cl?, or chlorosulphuric acid. Assuming 
the existence of a compound radical, S?04, sudfuryle, in sul- 
O02 
this body, yor t , chloride of sulfuryle. Schiff found that many 
substances resulting from the action of perchloride of phosphorus 
on mineral acids, as tungstic, molybdic, antimonic, &c., are not 
true compounds, but mixtures of pentachloride of phosphorus, 
and of the chlorides of the acids in question. 
phuric acid, anhydrous sulphuric acid would be = ort ; and 
* Liebig’s Annalen, April 1857. 
