OF AHOMAT1C COMPOUNDS. 



4. Amido-Compounds. 



Aniline. Destrem * investigated the action of the 

 electric spark from an induction apparatus on aniline 

 vapor and observed a decomposition into acetylene, 

 hydrogen, hydrocyanic acid, and nitrogen. E. Ro- 

 tundi a electrolyzed aniline. Since pure aniline is an 

 extremely poor conductor he made the solution suit- 

 able for electrolysis by the addition of ammonia. 

 After a period of three days, during which hydrogen 

 was continually evolved at the negative pole and a 

 tarry substance was deposited at the positive pole, 

 Rotundi interrupted the electrolysis and was able, with 

 more or less certainty, to establish the following 

 processes : 



1. The formation of diazo-compounds: 



C e H 6 NH a (HNO.) + HNO a = C 6 H 6 N 3 NO, + 2H S O. 



2. The formation of diazo-amido-compounds: 



2C fl H B NH a + HNO, = C 6 H 6 N 3 NHC 6 H 6 + 2H 3 O. 

 C 9 H 5 N 2 NO 3 + C 6 H 6 NH a = C e H 6 N a NH.C 8 H 6 + HNO,. 



3. The formation of azo-compounds by direct oxi- 

 dation of aniline: 



2C 6 H 6 NH, + 2O = 2H 3 O + C 6 H 6 N a C 6 H 6 . 



1 Jahresb. f. Chem., 1884, p. 272. 



2 Atti. d. R. Acad. d. Scienze d. Torino, 39, 4 ; Jahresb. f. 

 Chem., 1884, p. 270. 



