154 lutelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



hydrogen, and 6 of carbon, P H ' C^, it was probable that the two 

 other liquids were represented, one by 1 equivalent of phosphorus, 6 

 of hydrogen and 4 of carbon, P H« C+, and the other by 2 equiva- 

 lents of phosphorus, 3 of hydrogen and 2 of carbon, P- H^ C- ; that 

 is to say, that the three compounds of phosphorus and hydrogen, 

 P-H, PH-, PH^, combine, the first with one equivalent of methylene, 

 the second with 2, and the third with 3. 



jM. Thenard states, that being desirous of submitting his views to 

 the test of experiment, he prepared, not without danger, the new 

 products which he wished to examine. 



The analysis of the new alkali was frequently repeated, as also of 

 the inodorous and non-alkaline matter, into one of which the spon- 

 taneously inflammable substance is transformed : the formula of the 

 first is PH^, 3C- H", and of the second P^ H, C= H". After having thus 

 verified his first conjectures, the author was occupied exclusively with 

 the spontaneously inflammable liquid. The examination was beset 

 with difficulties, owing to the disagreeable qualities of the compound, 

 and its unstable and inflammable nature. 



The formula of this compound was found to be PH^, 2C^ H^. Its 

 pi'operties are, that it is a transparent liquid, colourless and slightly 

 viscid, insoluble in water, and has an excessively disagreeable odour ; 

 it boils at about 482° F. When exposed to the air it inflames spon- 

 taneously ; but when kept in a bottle into which air is gradually 

 introduced, it absorbs oxygen slowly, and is converted into a beau- 

 tiful, very acid crystalline product. 



With hydrochloric acid gas it exhibits the most important phse- 

 nomena. It forms at first a solid monohydrochlorate, which is cry- 

 stallized and very permanent, and afterwards passes to the state of 

 bihydrochlorate, which is liquid and of slight stability ; and if the 

 action of the acid continues, it is uniformly transformed into hydro- 

 chlorate of the alkali PH^SC^H'^, and into a vellow substance 

 P^HC^Rs. 



The monohydrochlorate when put into water at 32° F. dissolves 

 without alteration ; but if the temperature be gradually raised, it 

 decomposes at the same time as the water, so as to give rise to a 

 new acid, which the alkali produces by oxidizement, and to a new 

 gas which gradually combines with its volume of oxygen, and pro- 

 duces a liquid of strongly marked acid properties ; and it also absorbs 

 either one or two volumes of hydrochloric acid gas, and forms fine 

 crystals, from which water instantly disengages the new gas. 

 M. Thenard concludes from his experiments, — 



1. That phosphorus combines with hydrogen and carbon in several 

 proportions. 



2. That the three phosphurets of hydrogen at present known 

 unite, — 



The solid phosphuret P^ H with one equivalent of methylene ; 

 , The liquid phosphuret PH^ with two equivalents of methylene ; 



The gaseous pliosphuret PH' with three equivalents of methylene ; 

 that is to say, with as many equivalents of methylene as there are of 

 liydrogen in the phosphurets. 



