46 ELECTROLYSIS AND ELECTROS 'YN THESIS 



(Perrot 1 ); also cyanogen, according to Schlagden- 

 hauffen. 8 



Potassium Ferricyanide likewise gives on electro- 

 lysis Prussian blue at the anode. 



Sodio-nitro-prusside. On electrolyzing a dilute solu- 

 tion of this salt for a prolonged period Weith 3 noted 

 the formation of ammonia and the precipitation of 

 metallic iron; at the positive electrode Prussian blue 

 appeared, and nitrogen, oxygen, and, if the operation 

 was long continued, nitric oxide also were given off. 

 In a concentrated solution much ammonia was formed 

 at the cathode and nitric oxide appeared at the anode. 



Prussian blue can also be obtained according to 

 Luckow's method 4 for the general preparation of in- 

 soluble compounds. 



Nitriles. Ahrens, 6 by means of the electrolytic 

 addition of hydrogen, succeeded in converting nitriles 

 into primary amines, while simultaneously with the 

 reduction a partial saponification of the nitriles 

 occurred, as represented by the following equation: 

 R.CN + 2H 2 O = R.COOH + NH,. 



Aceto-nitrile. This substance yields only a small 

 quantity of ethylamine, although a considerable 



1 Tommasi, Traite d'Electrochimie, 720. 

 * Jahresb. f. Chem., 1863, p. 305; J. prakt. Chem., 30, 145. 

 1 Jahresb. f. Chem., 1863, p. 306; ibid., 1868, p. 311; Bull. soc. 

 chim., [2] 10, I2i. 



4 German patent, 91707. 



6 Ztschr. f. Elektroch., 3, 99. 



