OF BODIES CONTAINING NITROGEN. 311 



The transformations of cyanogen, a body com- 

 posed of carbon and nitrogen, and the simplest of all 

 the compounds of nitrogen, will convey a clear idea 

 of the great variety of products which are produced 

 in such a case: it is the only example of the putre- 

 faction of an azotized body which has been at all 

 accurately studied. 



A solution of cyanogen in water becomes turbid 

 after a short time, and deposits a black, or brownish 

 black matter, which is a combination of ammonia 

 with another body, produced by the simple union of 

 cyanogen with water. This substance is insoluble 

 in water, and is thus enabled to resist further change. 



A second transformation is effected by the cyano- 

 gen being shared between the elements of the water, 

 in consequence of which cyanic acid is formed by a 

 certain quantity of the cyanogen combining with the 

 oxygen of the water, while hydrocyanic acid is also 

 formed by another portion of the cyanogen uniting 

 with the hydrogen which was liberated. 



Cyanogen experiences a third transformation, by 

 which a complete disunion of its elements takes 

 place, these being divided between the constituents 

 of the water. Oxalic acid is the one product of this 

 disunion, and ammonia the other. 



Cyanic acid, the formation of which has been 

 mentioned above, cannot exist in contact with water, 

 being decomposed immediately into carbonic acid 

 and ammonia. The cyanic acid, however, newly 

 formed in the decomposition of cyanogen, escapes 

 this decomposition by entering into combination w^ith 

 the free ammonia, by which urea * is produced. 



The hydrocyanic acid is also decomposed into a 

 browm matter which contains hydrogen and cyano- 

 gen, the latter in greater proportion than it does in 

 the gaseous state. Oxalic acid, urea, and carbonic 

 acid, are also formed by its decomposition, and /or/Wr 



* See page 87, note. 



