80 



CHEMISTRY. 



cules of water, as a green powder. This salt is 

 also formed when chrome alum is dehydrated 

 first for some time at 90, and finally at 110. 

 The sodium and ammonium salts have been ob- 

 tained, and resemble the potassium salt. 



A curious compound of lead, sodium, and am- 

 monia, Pb 4 Na2NH s , is described by M. Joannis. 

 It is obtained when a rod of pure lead is placed 

 in a saturated solution of sodammonium in 

 water. The reddish-brown liquid becomes rap- 

 idly blue, and at last assumes a deep-green tint. 

 A small quantity of hydrogen is evolved by the 

 decomposition of a part of the sodammonium 

 with sodamide. The lead gradually disappears, 

 and a solid substance of an indigo-blue color is 

 deposited. It is the compound Pb 4 Na2NII 8 , 

 and appears to be a sodammonium, in which a 

 part of the sodium is replaced by lead. It dis- 

 solves readily in liquefied ammonia, with forma- 

 tion of a solution having a bottle-green tint. It 

 is not very stable, and dissociates spontaneously 

 on standing, with production of a gray substance 

 resembling spongy platinum, which becomes 

 warmer by oxidation on exposure to the air. 

 When introduced in small quantities at a time 

 into water the first portions dissolve. This is 

 caused by the oxidation of the lead and the solu- 

 tion of the litharge dissolving in the alkalinized 

 water. As soon as the oxygen in the water is 

 used up, further additions of the substance result 

 in the precipitation of black flocculi of metallic 

 lend. 



The yellow coloration produced by the action 

 of hydYogen peroxide upon molybdates and 

 tungstates has been found by Pechard to be 

 probably due to the formation of higher oxygen 

 compounds of those metals. The yellow crystals 

 formed after treating potassium trimolybdate 

 with hydrogen peroxide have the composition 

 K 2 MoaO8(Il a O) 4 , and heated gently in a vacuum 

 lose water and oxygen, and leave a residue of 

 acid potassium molybdate. Both this salt and 

 the ammonium salt, which is similarly prepared, 

 are decomposed by alkalies with evolution of 

 oxygen, evolve chlorine when treated with hy- 

 drochloric acid, and set free iodine from potas- 

 sium iodide. A similar tungsten salt is formed 

 when sodium paratungstate is similarly treated. 

 These results are regarded bv the author as es- 

 tablishing the existence of permolybdic and per- 

 tungstic oxides, Mo a 7 and W 2 7 , and of the 

 corresponding acids, HsMo 2 8 and H^W-jOs. 



A new variety of carbon has been observed by 

 Luzi in the deposit that is made on a piece of 

 porcelain heated in a blast furnace to the high- 

 est temperature that can be reached. When 

 the access of air is cut off, the porcelain is sur- 

 rounded by a smoky flame, which is allowed to 

 act upon it for a few minutes. On removing the 

 porcelain from the furnace it appears covered 

 with a deposit of carbon, which on unglazed por- 

 celain resembles graphite, but on- glazed is 

 bright and silvery, with a metallic luster, and 

 resembles a silvered mirror. Parts of the de- 

 posit adhere firmly, while others separate, and 

 loose portions may be pulled off. This form of 

 carbon is opaque, is free from ash, does not con- 

 tain hydrogen, and does not give the nitric-acid 

 reaction for graphite. 



A compound of carbon with barium, C a Ba, de- 

 scribed by M. Maquenne, was formed by the di- 



rect action of barium, in the form of an amal- 

 gam, upon powdered retort charcoal. Since, 

 when brought in contact with water, it evolves 

 acetylene gas rapidly, it is regarded as perhaps 

 an acetylide of barium or a compound formed 

 by the replacement of the hydrogen of acety- 

 lene, C 3 H.j, with metallic barium. It appears as 

 a gray, friable mass, which remains unaltered 

 when heated to bright redness. The direct for- 

 mation of the new substance from barium and 

 carbon, together with its reaction with water, 

 afford another mode of synthesizing acetylene, 

 which M. Maquenne considers to be of interest 

 from the point of view of the formation of the 

 natural hydrocarbons. Other metals may pos- 

 sess the same property of forming acetylides 

 under the influence of high temperatures. If, 

 then, as M. Berthelot has attempted to show, 

 acetylene is the primary material or starting 

 point for the formation of other hydrocarbons, 

 it is possible that such compounds of metals with 

 carbon, upon coming in contact with water under 

 conditions of more or less pressure, may give rise 

 to the production of the immense stores of natu- 

 ral hydrocarbons represented by petroleum. 



A new amme, methyl-ethylamine, C 2 H B (CH S ) 

 Nil, has been obtained by Drs. Skraup and 

 Wiegmann by the action of alcoholic potash 

 upon morphine. Besides its preparation being 

 of importance as completing a series of isomers 

 of the formula C S H 9 N, the fact of its derivation 

 from morphine throws light on the constitution 

 of that alkaloid. The four possible isomers of 

 the formula C S H 8 N, which have now all been 

 prepared, are trimethylamine, propylamine, iso- 

 propylamine, and the present substance. The 

 accuracy of the analysis was tested by preparing 

 methyl-ethylamine synthetically. The oxalate, 

 hydrochloride, platinochloride, and gold chloride 

 were also prepared, and in every instance the 

 products we re identical with those prepared from 

 the base of morphine. 



Two series of salts of two new platinum bases 

 containing organic radicals have been prepared 

 by Blomstrand and his assistants at Lund. The 

 first series is compounded with ethyl sulphide, 

 and of it the chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrite, 

 sulphate, and nitrate have been obtained. The 

 halogen salts of this group are readily trans- 

 formed into the more stable platinic compounds, 

 and these are more difficult of solution. The 

 salts of the second series are analogous, but con- 

 tain the radical methyl instead of ethyl. 



A new series of well-crystallizing salts of irid- 

 ium- ammonium have been prepared by Dr. 

 Palmaer, of Upsala. They are pentammonium 

 salts corresponding to the purpureo compounds, 

 of cobalt, chromium, and rhodium. The chloride, 

 I 2 (Nri3) 5 Cl3, is readily obtained by the action of 

 ammonia on the trichlorides and tetrachlorides 

 of iridium, and crystallizes in rhombic pyra- 

 mids, isomorphous with the purpureo cobalt and 

 rhombic chlorides. Other salts include a chloro- 

 bromide, a chloriodide, the tribromide, sul- 

 phuric acid salts, and the hydrate. 



Acetyl fluoride, CH 3 COF, has been prepared 

 and is described by M. Moissan. It is obtained 

 by causing various inorganic fluorides to react 

 upon acetyl chloride, the best being zinc fluor- 

 ide. It is colorless, both in the liquid and the 

 gaseous condition, is considerably more volatile 



