504 



Nitride of Zinc. 



Zincamide can bear a temperature of 200 C. without decompo- 

 sition, but at a low red heat it is decomposed into nitride of zinc and 

 ammonia : 



H r H r Zn 



H=2N^ H + NJ Zn 

 Zn ( H ( Zn. 



Nitride of zinc is a grey pulverulent body, which is neither fused, 

 decomposed, nor volatilized at a red heat out of contact with air. It 

 is decomposed by water with great violence ; in fact, if the nitride be 

 merely moistened with water, it becomes red-hot. Several analyses 

 prove that the formula of nitride of zinc is 



fZn 



N jZn 



[Zn. 



The study of the products of its decomposition by water shows 

 that the reaction may be thus expressed : 



rzn rn 7 , 



y\ Zn + 6HO = N^ H-fsS 1 [ O 2 . 



(Zn [H 



Zincphenylimide. 



Zn. 



This body is produced by the action of zincethyl upon anhydrous 

 aniline. The reaction is so violent that it requires to be moderated 

 by diluting the zincethyl with ether. Heat is evolved, and a large 

 quantity of a combustible gas is rapidly generated. At length the 

 liquid becomes a white, semisolid, opake mass. Analysis proved the 

 gas to be pure hydride of ethyl, whilst the solid body regenerated 

 aniline in contact with water. The production of zincphenylimide 

 may therefore be thus expressed : 



Zincphenylimide is a white amorphous body very similar to zinc- 



