Dr. Hofmami on the History of the Monamines. 141 



compound, and of a corresponding quantity of hydrobromate of 

 trimethylamine. 



2 C:h: N + C.H.Br,=gg3 NBr + gg; NBr. 



Indeed it would appear that at a high temperature and with an 

 excess of trimethylamine, the equation just given represents the prin- 

 cipal phase of the reaction. In an experiment made under the 

 stated conditions, the liquid in the digester had assumed a deep 

 yellowish colour ; and on evaporation and appropriate treatment a 

 crystalline salt was obtained, which on analysis was found to con- 

 sist exclusively of 



an,! 



C.oH.NBr=§g3 NBr, 



the mother-liquor containing a large quantity of hydrobromate of 

 trimethylamine. It is possible that even in this reaction the vinyl- 

 compound was only a secondary product, formed by the decomposi- 

 tion of the brominated bromide under the influence of an excess of 

 trimethylamine. 



C.H3 1 C..H3I &S0 &S0 



(clH.BryJ ^-'^^^^ hJ C,I-l3j 



Exactly as in the phosphorus-series, together with the compounds 

 described, some other substances are formed, particularly when the 

 process is supported by the action of heat. As yet I do not suffi- 

 ciently understand these additional reactions. 



I have established experimentally that triethylamine and triamyl- 

 amine, when treated with bibromide of ethylene, give rise to similar 

 reactions. I have not, however, minutely examined the substances 

 which are formed. They are sufficiently characterized by theory. 



The unexpected deportment of bibromide of ethybne with the 

 tertiary monamines and monophosphines, furnishes a new proof of 

 the fact, that all our rational formulae are, after all, the expressions of 

 special reactions. Witli the alkalies, the brominated Dutch liquid 

 behaves as a double salt of two monatomic compounds, 

 (C,Il3)'Br-l-IIBr. 



With silver-salts, with aniline, &c., it exhibits the deportment of 

 a true biatomic compound, 



(C,H,)"Br,. 



With the tertiary amines and phosphincs, lastly, we find that tlie 

 elements of the same body, in accordance with the requirement of 

 the case, arrange themselves into one monatomic compound, the 

 constitution of which, if we simply consider the fuuction which it 



