525 . 



duction of the aromatic bases of higher atomicity, which are at pre- 

 sent unknown. Trinitronaphtaline might thus yield a hasic compound, 



(c 10 H 5 )"n 



C 10 H U N,= H 3 N 3 ; 



and even the triatomic base of the phenyl-series might possibly be 

 obtained in this manner ; for although we have not at present tri- 

 nitrobenzol at our disposal, we could submit the nitro-bases them- 

 selves to further amidation. I have satisfied myself by experi- 

 ment that phenylene-diamine may be just as well obtained by the 

 reduction of nitraniline as of dinitrobenzol ; and it deserves therefore 

 to be ascertained whether dinitraniline will yield the compound 



(C 6 H,)'"] 

 C 6 H 9 N 3 = H 3 [N 3 , 



H 3 J 



which would be the first aromatic triamine. 



In conclusion, I may be permitted to express my best thanks to 

 MM. Ch. Collin and Coblentz for the liberal manner in which they 

 have furnished me the materials for the experiments described. By 

 facilitating the scientific elaboration of the new diatomic compounds, 

 these gentlemen have endeavoured most gracefully to acknowledge 

 the debt of gratitude which the aniline-industry owes to theoretical 

 inquiries in organic chemistry. 



January 23, 1862. 

 Major-General SAB1NE, R.A., President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : 

 I. " Contributions towards the Histoiy of the Monamines." 

 No. V. Action of Chloracetic Ether on Triethylamine and 

 Triethylphosphine." By A. W. HOFMANN, LL.D., F.R.S. 

 Received December 16, 1861. 



I am indebted to Mr. C. E. Groves for a considerable quantity of 



the ethyl-bases, which he has prepared by the action of ammonia 



upon iodide of ethyl, in order to test on a large scale the method of 



separating the three compounds by means of oxalic ether*, which I 



* Proceedings of the Royal Society, vol. xi. p. 66. 



