CHLORIDES OF PHOSPHORUS. 



cork in the tubulure of the retort, and a flask may be applied 

 to the beak of the retort to receive a small portion of the pro- 

 duct which distils over during the operation. The chlorine is 

 rapidly absorbed and a dark coloured dense liquid is obtained, 

 which boils at about 280, and has a disagreeable odour, some- 

 what resembling that of sea-weed, but much stronger. Rose 

 finds that this is a solution of sulphur in a definite chloride 

 of sulphur S 2 C1, which may be obtained pure by distilling the 

 liquid at a moderate temperature.* This compound is capable 

 of dissolving a very large quantity of sulphur, which may be 

 obtained in crystals from a solution saturated at a high tem- 

 perature. It is decomposed by water, and hydrochloric and 

 hyposulphurous acids formed. 



This compound also absorbs a large but indefinite quantity 

 of chlorine. But a definite superior chloride of sulphur has 

 lately been obtained by Rose, in combination with several me- 

 tallic perchlorides.f It is a bichloride of sulphur, S C1. 2 , but 

 cannot be obtained in a separate state. When chlorine is 

 passed over the bisulphuret of tin, the gas is absorbed, the sul- 

 phuret fuses, and a compound is formed in yellow crystals, 

 which consists of Sn C1 2 + S C1 2 . The sulphur of the sul- 

 phuret of titanium and of the sulphurets of antimony and ar- 

 senic is converted by chlorine, in the same manner into bichlo- 

 ride, and the metal itself obtains the same proportions of chlo- 

 rine as it had of sulphur previously, the new products also 

 remaining in combination with each other. 



Ter chloride of phosphorus, P C1 3 . This chloride, which cor- 

 responds with phosphorous acid, is obtained by passing the 

 vapour of phosphorus over corrosive sublimate in a heated 

 tube; a clear and volatile liquid distils over, of sp. gr. 1.45. 

 It is capable of dissolving phosphorus ; when mixed with water, 

 it is resolved into hydrochloric and phosphorous acids. 



Per chloride of phosphorus, PC1 5 . Phosphorus takes fire spon- 

 taneously in a vessel of dry chlorine, and produces a snow white 

 woolly sublimate, which is very volatile, rising in vapour below 

 212. It is converted by water into hydrochloric and phos- 

 phoric acids. Compounds also have been formed of chlorine, 

 sulphur and phosphorus by Rose and Serullas, to which Berzelius 

 assigns the speculative formulae SC1 2 + PC1 2 and PS 6 -*-2S 2 Cl. 



* An. de Ch. et do Ph. t. 50, p. 92. 

 t An. de Ch. et de Ph. t. 70. p. 278. 



