148 Dr. Anderson on the Products of the 



and it is evidently mixed with some resinous substance. Owing 

 to this circumstance I have not been able to submit it to purifi- 

 cation and analysis, so as to ascertain whether it really is nitro- 

 benzide ; but though that substance has not yet been obtained 

 by a similar action on pure aniline, it is quite possible that it 

 may be produced, and the reason why it has not hitherto been 

 observed is probably because no one has had occasion to sacrifice 

 large quantities of aniline in this manner. The acid solution of 

 the undecomposed base is passed through a wet filter in order to 

 separate the oil, and the fluid boiled for some time to expel the 

 last traces. On saturation with potash and distillation, an oily 

 base passed over with the water and collected on the surface. 

 This base, on being converted into a platinum salt, was found 

 still to give a result greatly above that required by theory for 

 the substance of which I was in quest. On submitting it to 

 distillation, it was found to commence boiling at about 320°, 

 and hence to contain a large quantity of lutidine ; and it was 

 only the very last portion which gave a platinum salt corre- 

 sponding with theory. It was clear that a large quantity of lu- 

 tidine had been retained at a boiling-point above that which 

 naturally belonged to it, by the presence of aniline, and that 

 substance being destroyed, it came over at its natural boiling- 

 point. The higher fractions of the oil containing aniline were 

 therefore treated in a similar manner, and the undecomposed 

 bases, which amounted to from a half to two-thirds of the original 

 quantity acted on by nitric acid, were submitted to fractionated 

 distillation. The product was found to spread over a consider- 

 able number of degrees, and a quantity of that collected between 

 340° and 345° was converted into a platinum salt and analysed, 

 but the results indicated the presence of much lutidine. The 

 product being still obviously impure, was submitted to a syste- 

 matic fractionation, and it was observed that the thermometer 

 remained remarkably steady about 354°. The portion boiling 

 between 350° and 360° was collected apart, and after several rec- 

 tifications a fraction was obtained which distilled entirely between 

 352° and 356°, and proved to be the pure base, to which I give 

 the name of collidine. 



Collidine. 



Collidine is obtained in the form of a transparent and colour- 

 less oil, which may be preserved for a long time in bottles only 

 partially filled with it, without acquiring colour. A rod dipped 

 in hydrochloric acid brought in contact with it gives abundant 

 white fumes. It is insoluble in water, and floats on its surface, 

 without undergoing diminution. It dissolves a small quantity 

 of water, which is readily separated by caustic potash. It is 



