596 



Diazonitrophenol. 



This substance is formed by submitting the ethereal solution of 

 diphenamic acid 



H 



discovered by Gerhardt and Laurent, to the action of nitrous acid. 

 It is a yellow crystalline, very unstable compound, containing 



C a H,N s 12 =C 2 Y(N0 4 6 )V, 

 \ N, / 



it explodes with extreme violence at the temperature of boiling 

 water. The alkalies decompose it instantaneously with evolution of 

 nitrogen and formation of products which are not yet analysed. 



Action of Nitrous Acid upon Benzamic Acid. 



The product obtained in a similar manner from benzamic acid is 

 an orange-yellow crystalline precipitate, which constitutes a dibasic 

 acid of the formula 



C^H^O,,. 



Its formation is illustrated by the following equation 



2 equiv. of ben- New acid. 



zamic acid. 



This acid is insoluble in water, alcohol, and ether. It is dissolved 

 without decomposition by the alkalies in the cold, giving rise to the 

 formation of soluble crystalline salts, which produce precipitates 

 with nitrate of silver and acetate of lead. 



All these salts are decomposed on heating, with evolution of nitro- 

 gen gas. The action of fuming nitric acid upon the dibasic deriva- 

 tive of benzamic acid produces a new acid, furnishing with barium a 

 splendid yellow crystalline salt. The dibasic acid is likewise decom- 

 posed by hydrochloric acid ; in combination with this acid remains 

 a body which can be sublimed in white crystals. 



An alcoholic solution of benzamic ether when treated with nitrous 

 acid yields the ether of the acid previously described. 



The action of nitrous acid on alcoholic solutions of cuminamic and 



