1821.] of Chlorine and Carbon, fyc. 109 



and though it be brought down to the alkali many times, and 

 reboiled, still the alkali, when examined, is not found to contain 

 any chlorine, nor is any change produced. Ammonia in solu- 

 tion is also without action upon it. These solutions do not 

 appear to dissolve more of it than pure water. 



Muriatic acid in solution does not act at all upon it. Strong 

 nitric acid boiled upon it dissolves a portion, but does not decom- 

 pose it : as it cools, part of the chloride is deposited unaltered, 

 and the concentrated acid, when diluted, lets more fall down. 

 The diluted portion being filtered, and tested with nitrate of 

 silver, gives no precipitate. It does not appear to be either 

 soluble in, or acted upon by, concentrated sulphuric acid. It 

 sinks slowly in the acid, and, when heated, is converted into 

 vapour, which, rising through the acid, condenses in the upper 

 part of the tube. 



It is not acted upon by oxygen at temperatures under a red 

 heat. A mixture of oxygen and the vapour of the substance 

 would not inflame by a strong electric spark, though the temper- 

 ature was raised by a spirit-lamp to about 400°. When oxygen 

 mixed with the vapour of the substance is passed through a red- 

 hot tube, there is decomposition ; and mixtures of chlorine, car- 

 bonic oxide, carbonic acid, and phosgene gases are produced. 

 A portion of the chloride was heated with peroxide of mercury 

 in a glass tube over mercury ; as soon as the oxide had given off 

 oxygen, and the heat had risen so high as to soften the glass 

 considerably, the vapour suddenly detonated with the oxygen 

 with bright inflammation. The substances remaining were 

 oxygen, carbonic acid, and calomel ; and I believe there was 

 no decomposition or action, until so much mercury had risen in. 

 vapour as to aid the oxygen by a kind of double affinity in 

 decomposing the chloride of carbon. 



Chlorine produces no change on the substance, either by 

 exposure to light or heat. 



When iodine is heated with it at low temperatures, the two 

 substances melt and unite, and there is no further action. 

 When heated more strongly in vapour, the iodine separates 

 chlorine, reducing the perchloride to the fluid protochloride of 

 carbon, and chloriodine is produced. This dissolves, and if no 

 excess of iodine be present, the whole remains fluid at common 

 temperatures. When water is added, it generally liberates a 

 little iodine; and on heating the solution, so as to drive off all 

 free iodine, and testing by nitrate of silver, chloride and iodide 

 of silver are obtained. 



Hydrogen and the vapour of the substance would not inflame 

 at the temperature of 400° Fahr. by strong electrical sparks ; 

 but when the mixture was sent through a red-hot tube, the 

 chloride was decomposed, and muriatic acid gas and charcoal 

 produced. 



The vapour of the perchloride of carbon readily detonates by 



