622 



picture which I have endeavoured to delineate of the phosphorus- 

 compounds, illustrates in a great measure the history of the nitrogen- 

 bodies. 



In conclusion, a few words about the further development of 

 which the experiments on the polyatomic bases appear to be capable, 

 and about the direction in which I propose to pursue the track which 

 they have opened. 



Conceived in its simplest form, the transition from the series of 

 monoatomic to that of diatomic bases, may be referred to the intro- 

 duction of a monochlorinated or a monobrominated alcohol-radical 

 into the type ammonia, the chlorine and bromine thus inserted 

 furnishing the point of attack for a second molecule of ammonia. 



If in bromide of ethylammonium to pass from the phosphorus- 

 series to the more generally interesting nitrogen-series >we replace 

 1 equiv. of the hydrogen in ethyl by bromine, we arrive at bro- 

 mide of bromethylammonium, which fixing a second equivalent of 

 ammonia, is converted into the dibromide of ethylene-diammonium, 

 the latent bromine becoming accessible to silver-salts. 



[(C 3 H 4 Br) H 3 N] Br + H 3 N = [(C a H 4 )" H 6 NJ" Br 2 . 



The further elaboration of this reaction indicates two different 

 methods for the construction of the polyatomic bases of a higher 

 order. In the first place, the number of ammonia-molecules, to be 

 incorporated in the new system, may be increased by the gradually 

 advancing bromination of the radical. By the further bromination 

 of ethyl in bromide of bromethylammonium and the action of 

 ammonia on the bodies thus produced, the following salts may be 

 generated : 



[(C, H 3 Br 2 ) H 3 N] Br + 2H 3 N = [(C 2 H 8 )'" H 9 N,]"' Br 3 

 [(C 2 H 2 Br 8 )H 3 N]BrH-3H 3 N=[(C 2 H 2 )'^ H 12 N 4 ]"" Br 4 

 [(C 2 H Br 4 )H 3 N]Br + 4H 3 N = [(C 2 H)'"'' H 15 N 6 ]'"" Br 5 

 [(C 2 Br 5 )H 3 N] Br+5H 3 N = [(C 2 )"" H J8 NJ""" Br e . 



Again, the fixation of the ammonia-molecules may be attempted, 

 not by the progressive bromination of the ethyl, but by the accumu- 

 lation of monobrominated ethyl-molecules in the ammonium -nucleus. 

 The bromide of di-bromethylammonium, when submitted to the 

 action of ammonia, would thus yield the tribromide of a triammo- 



