281 



sufficiently well established by their origin, and by the determination 

 of their boiling-points and vapour-densities ; so that the examination 

 of non-volatile bases, retaining one equivalent of unreplaced hydrogen, 

 is not necessary for the elucidation of their atomicity affording 

 simply additional evidence in favour of facts otherwise satisfactorily 

 proved. But it is obvious how, in the case of compounds of uncertain 

 origin, which may be easily decomposable or difficultly accessible, the 

 formation of this class of salts must facilitate the diagnosis of the 

 diamines, and may, under certain conditions, become the principal 

 criterion for ascertaining the atomicity of an ammonia. 



XIII. "Notes of Researches on the Poly- Ammonias." No. 

 XV. Monacid Polyamines. By A. W. HOFMANN, LL.D., 

 F.R.S. Received June 13, 1861. 



In former investigations I have pointed out the existence of a 

 group of monacid bases containing three equivalents of nitrogen, the 

 principal representatives of which, cyandiphenyldiamine and cyantri- 

 phenyldiamine, were formed by submitting aniline to the action 

 respectively of chloride of cyanogen *, 



2C 9 H 7 N + CNC1 C 13 H 13 N 3 , HC1 



Aniline. Hydrochlorate of cyan- 



diphenyl-diamine 



(melaniline). 

 and tetrachloride of carbon, 



6C 6 H 7 N + CC1 4 = C 19 H 17 N 3 , HC1+3(C 6 H 7 N, HC1) 



Aniline. Hydrochlorate of Hydrochlorate of 



cyantriphenyl- aniline, 



diamine. 



I have lately met again with this group of bases in a new reaction 

 which I beg leave to submit to the Royal Society. 



When examining several years ago f the action of ethylate of sodium 

 upon cyanate of ethyl, I observed the formation of triethylamine, but 

 in subsequent experiments 1 1 could not reproduce this compound by 



* H = l; = 16; C = 12, &C. 



f Proceedings of the Royal Society, vol. viii. p. 489. 

 J Journal of the Chemical Society, vol. xiii. p. 70. 



