603 



which is certainly the formula of diphenyl-urea. But here again 

 chemists have been misled by the basic properties of the substance, 



It is not my object at present to dwell on the constitution of 

 flavine, which I intend to examine in a subsequent note ; suffice it to 

 say that this substance is not diphenyl-urea. 



The true diphenyl-urea is the substance commonly called carbani- 

 lide, or carbophenylamide. 



(CO)"-] 

 C 13 H 12 N 2 0=(<; 6 H 5 ) 2 >N 2 . 



H 2 J 



Both the conditions under which this body forms, and the pro- 

 ducts into which it is decomposed, leave no doubt regarding its 

 position in the system. 



This compound is formed by the action of cyauate of phenyl upon 

 either water or phenylamine. 



r frov i lm (CO)" 



2 |_(b. H 5 ) } N J +fi } 0=(CO)"0 + CH s ) 2 N 2 , 



(CO)" 



When boiled with potassa, it splits into carbonic acid and phenyl- 

 amine. 



rc 6 H^ -i 



H U . 



L H J J 



(C 6 H S ) 2 VN 2 + VO=(CO)"0 + 2 



H 2 J J 



These are the characters of true diphenyl-urea. 



XII. " Researches on the Phosphorus-Bases." No. VIII. 

 Oxide of Triethylphosphine. By A. W. HOFMANN, LL.D., 

 F.R.S. Received July 24, 1860. 



In our former experiments *, Cahours and myself had often 

 observed this substance, but we did not succeed in obtaining it in a 

 state of purity fit for analysis. Nevertheless, founding our conclu- 

 sion on the composition of the corresponding sulphur-compound, 

 and having regard to the analogies presented by the corresponding 

 * Phil. Trans. 1857, p. 575. 



