272 



in water, and also by its transformations. Under the influence of 

 hydrate of potassium the diethyloxamide of Wurtz splits into oxalic 

 acid and ethylamine, 



C 6 H 12 N 2 2 +2KHO = K 2 C 2 4 +2C 4 H 7 N 

 Diethyloxamide. Ethylamine. 



whilst under the same circumstances the new compound furnishes an 

 oxalate together with ammonia and diethylamine, 



New substance. Diethyl- 



amine. 



It is thus seen that the isomeric diamides in general exhibit the 

 relation which Dr. Volhard has so well developed for the ureas. The 

 nature of these substances is determined by their genesis, 



(C a O a )"l (C 2 2 )"l 



C 6 H 13 N 2 2 =[(C 2 H 5 )H 3 N] l0 2 -2H 2 0=[(C 2 H 5 ) 2 H 2 N] L0 2 -2H 2 0, 



[(C 2 H 5 )H 3 N]J [H 4 N]J 



which is readily traced in their products of decomposition. The 

 following formulae might indicate the difference in the construction 

 of the two bodies which form the subject of this Note, 



(C 2 2 )" ] (C 2 2 )") 



C 6 H 12 N 2 2 = (C 2 H 6 )HlN 2 = (C 2 H 5 ) 2 lN 2 . 

 (C 2 H 5 )HJ H a J 



It is obvious that similar cases of isomerism must obtain among 

 the diamines or diatomic bases. Thus the formula 



C,H 16 N 2 



can represent two very similar bases, the constitution of which differs, 

 inasmuch as the one owes its origin to the association of two molecules 

 of ethylamine, while the other arises from the union of one molecule 

 of ammonia and one molecule of diethylamine, the connecting link 

 being in both cases the diatomic ethylene-molecule which replaces 



the hydrogen, 



(C.HJ" ] (C 2 H 4 "] 



C 6 H 16 N 2 = (C 2 H 5 )H N 2 = (C 2 H 5 ) 2 I N 2 . 

 (C 2 H 5 )HJ H 2 J 



The facility with which the ethylated ammonias may be separated 

 by means of oxalate of ethyl, has induced me to study the action of 

 this ether on the diatomic bases. Ethylene-diamine, when treated 



