635 



III. " On the Action of Nitric Acid and of Binoxide of Manga- 

 nese and Sulphuric Acid on the Organic Bases." By A. 

 MATTHIESSEN, Ph.D. Communicated by Prof. STOKES, 

 Sec. R.S. Received February 3, 1859. 



In the Proceedings of the Royal Society (vol. ix. p. 118), I stated 

 that by the action of nitrous acid on aniline I had obtained ammonia 

 and nitrophenasic acid ; since then I have acted on several other of 

 the organic bases with the same reagent, as well as with nitric acid, 

 and with binoxide of manganese and sulphuric acid ; and I will now 

 shortly enumerate the experiments. 



1 . Action of Nitrous Acid on Amylaniline. 



The dilute solution of the nitrate of amylaniline was acted on by 

 nitrous acid at 100 C. for 12 hours. Amylaniline and ammonia 

 were obtained, but in quantities too small to be quantitatively 

 determined. 



2. Action of Nitric Acid on Amylaniline. 

 Amylaniline was boiled with dilute nitric acid (1 part acid to 2 of 



water) until the reaction began, which was immediately stopped by 

 adding cold water to the solution. This was filtered when cold 

 from the nitrophenasic acid, and after potash had been added, it 

 was again filtered to separate any undecomposed amylaniline. The 

 filtrate was distilled, the distillate redistilled per ascensum into 

 hydrochloric acid, and the acid solution evaporated to dryness. 

 The residue was then extracted with absolute alcohol, and the fil- 

 trate evaporated to dryness. This operation was repeated four or 

 five times. A platinum-salt* made with the chloride, which was 

 soluble in absolute alcohol, gave 33-55 per cent, platinum. The 

 chloroplatinate of amylamine requires 33*66 per cent. The plati- 

 num-salt of that chloride which was insoluble in absolute alcohol 

 gave 43 ! 9 per cent, platinum. The chloroplatiuate of ammonia 

 requires 44*2 per cent. 



The above reaction may be explained as follows : 



C 12 H 5 ) C 10 H U ) 



C 10 H u lN + H a 3 +N0 5 HO= H I N + C 12 H 6 O 2 +NO,HO 

 H j H j 



* All the platinum-salts determined were recrystallized in water. 



