274 Researches respecting the radical of Benzoic Acid. 



acids. It is readily inflammable, burning with a white, but very- 

 smoky flame. 



Benzamide. — By conducting dry ammonia over pure chloroben- 

 zoyl, the former is absorbed with much heat, and the liquid is con- 

 verted into a white, solid mass, consisting of a mixture of muriate of 

 ammonia and a new body which we call Benzamide. For in its be- 

 havior and composition it bears a perfect analogy to oxamide. 



The perfect saturation of chlorobenzoyl with ammonia takes place 

 at first with such violence, that it is slowly and difficultly attained ; 

 for the rising solid mass soon begins to protect the yet unsaturated 

 portion from farther contact of the gas. It is therefore often neces- 

 sary to take the mass out of the vessel, crush it and again continue 

 the action of ammonia. 



It may be inferred from the formation of muriate of ammonia at 

 the same time, that by the union of the two bodies, a decomposition 

 of ammonia takes place; for, as we have before remarked, the chlo- 

 rine in chlorobenzoyl is contained as chlorine and not as hydrochlo- 

 ric acid. 



It is indeed imaginable that the exchange of elements happens 

 when water is poured over the white mass to expel the muriate of 

 ammonia ; but the behavior of cyanobenzoyl sufficiently proves, that 

 this separation first occurs, the moment the ammonical gas com A s in 

 contact with the chlorobenzoyl. . 



The cyanobenzoyl suffers an altogether analogous change in im- 

 moniato the chlorine compound; it forms benzamide and cyanuret 

 of ammonia, which latter rises in consequence of its fluidity, with 

 the excess of ammonia, and sublimes in the form of brilliant crystals- 



To isolate benzamide, the muriate of ammonia formed is washed 

 out of the white mass with cold water, and the remaining benzamide 

 is dissolved in boiling water. By cooling, the solution deposites crys- 

 tals. 



By neglecting perfectly to dry the ammonia over burnt lime or 

 hydrate of potassa, a corresponding mass of benzoate of ammonia is 

 formed, by the action of the moist gas upon the chlorobenzoyl, and 

 the same proportion of the new body is lost. 



Also when the chlorobenzoyl has not been fully saturated with 

 ammonia, then upon treating the mass with hot water, the formed 

 benzamide, as is proved by its behavior to acids, is either wholly or 

 in part decomposed according to the quantity of free chlorobenzoyl- 



