1J7 



OROAKOMETALLIC BODIES. 



ORQANOMETALLIC BODIES 



l 



however, that no direct experiments have been made with a view of 

 revealing any uniatomic attribute which may attack to stannous 

 compounds. 



Se*ii(ompoimdt of the form Sn, | H + have hitherto been very little 



examined, they are oily liquids uniting directly with negative radicals, 

 and forming extensive series of compounds belonging to the stannic 

 class, a considerable number of which have been studied. The 

 following example* will serve to show the mode in which sesquicom- 

 pounds of this form pass into bodies of the stannic class : 



p IT 



~4 * 



C.H, 



8e*quiethlde of tin. 

 C.H. 



Stannic triethiodide. 



C.H, 



C,H, , C.H. 



Stannic triclhiodide. 



Stannic dicthiodide. 



Iodide of ethyl. 



No reduction of a sesqui to a stannous compound has yet been 

 effected, although it can scarcely be doubted that an aqueous solution 

 of sesquidiethiodide of tin, for instance, if treated with zinc, would 

 yield stannous ethide. On the other hand, an instance of the reduc- 

 tion of a stannic to a sesquicompound has "been observed. Thus 

 stannic ethylodimethide in contact with iodine is transformed into 

 sesquidiethiodide of tin. 



8n 



C.Hj 

 C,H, 



Stannic ethylodimethide. 



Sn, { C.H. + 2C.H,! 



Iodide of methyl. 

 Sesqnldlethiodidc of tin. 



fR+ 



Sesquicompounds of the form Sn, < R + are very little known ; in 



fact the sesquidiethiodide of tin 



infsn,jcX\ 



the production of which 



from stannic ethylodimethide has just been mentioned, is the only one 

 known with certainty. It is a colourless mobile liquid, possessing a 

 most insupportable odour, like essential oil of mustard, and boiling 

 with partial decomposition at a high temperature. Heated with an 

 excess of iodine, it is transformed into stannic diethiodide : 



C.H. 

 C.H. 



'' 



-f I = Sn 



8e*qoldiethiodlde of tto. 



fR + 

 I R + 



Stannic compounds of the form Sn,< p are colourless mobile li- 



IR+ 



quids, possessing a slight ethereal odour. They are volatile without 

 decomposition, and possess great stability. Being in the condition of 

 chemical saturation they are incapable of direct combination. No 

 body can act upon them without expelling one or more equivalent* of 

 positive radical. Thus, when heated with hydrochloric acid, stannic 

 ethide yields stannic triethochloride and hydride of ethyl : 



. 



C.H, 

 C.H, 

 C.H, 



C.H. 



4- nci 



C.H. 



Cl 



+ 



C.H 5 



Stannic ethide. 



Stannic ttictho- 

 chlorlde. 



Hydride of ethyl. 



With two equivalents of iodine the reaction is : 

 [ C.H. ( C.H, 



cX 



, ' 



Stannic ethide. Stannic triethiodide. 



And with four equivalents of iodine : 



Iodide of ethyl. 



Stannic dicthiodide. 



Stannic compound* of the form Sn, < j * commonly called com- 



(im- 

 pound* of sesquistanethyl.have been comparatively well studied. The 

 oxides are, in the anhydrous condition, volatile limpid oily liquids, 

 which readily unite with water, forming crystalline hydrates possessing 

 a powerful alkaline reaction, and neutralising the strongest acid*, with 

 which they form an extensive series of salts. These salts are also all 

 soluble in water, readily crystallisable, and possess a pungent odour. 

 The stannic triethiodide and the sulphate of sesquistanethyl may be 

 adduced as examples of the haloid and oxysalts respectively. 



Stannic triethiodide 



Sn. 



Stannic trlethyloulphte 



Sn. 



a. 



C.H, 

 C.H, 

 C.H. 



C.H. 



j + have also been very com- 



Stannic compounds of the form SB, 



R- 



pletely investigated. The oxides are white amorphous powders, 

 insoluble in water, alcohol, and ether. They dissolve in hydrochloric, 

 hydriodic, and hydrobromic acids, forming colourless and inodorous 

 salts crystallising in fine prisms. Most of the oxysalts can also bo obtained 

 in the crystalline form, either from aqueous or alcoholic solutions. 

 The iodide and sulphate of stannic diethide, which may be regarded as 

 representatives of the haloid and oxysalts, have the following formula; : 





Sulphate of stannic diethide 



'C.H, 



-.? A 

 .1 



Sn, 



C.H, 



'."I 



so! 



Stannic compounds of this form are readily reduced to stannoua 

 compounds ; thus, when a piece of zinc is plunged into a solution of 

 stannic diethochloride, stannous ethide is produced : 



C.H. 

 Sn, { * Hj + Zn, = Sn. ( 'J!" + 2ZnCl 



JBltmutK Seritt. The following bodies belonging to this series have 

 been described : 



! C .H, 

 C.H, 

 C.H, 

 C.H. 

 Bl! Cl 

 Cl 



2. Bismuthous dichlorethldc 



S. Blimuthotu dilodoethlde 



4. BUmuthous dioxyethidc 



9. Double compound of blsmntbous ) 

 sulphide with hismuthio disnlph- J 

 ethide ) 



Bt 



C.H S 



1 



Bi{ O 

 O 



fC.H. 

 I C.H. 



Bi< C.H. + 2B!S 3 ? 



Is 



These bodies have as yet been only very imperfectly investigated. 

 Bismuthous ethide is a colourless or slightly yellow mobile liquid, 

 having an unpleasant odour like stibethine. Exposed to the air it 

 gives off dense yellow fumes, inflames spontaneously, and linally 

 explodes. It is very instable, begins to decompose at 50 to 60 C., 

 and explodes violently when heated to 150 C., a temperature still 

 below its boiling point. No direct compound of this body has yet 

 been obtained ; it behaves like a chemically saturated substance, and 

 when slowly oxidised in contact with water, yields alcohol and hydrated 

 oxide of bismuth. 





C II 



C.H, 





Bio - >HO 



t 



When an alcoholic solution of bichloride of mercury is added to an 

 alcoholic solution of bismuthous othide, mercuric etho-chloride 

 crystallises out, whilst bismuthous dichlorethide remains in solution : 



(C.H, 



2Hgci, = Bt{ci 4 



(Cl 



BUmutbou. ctblde. 



B1 



