334 



Albert P. Mathews 



accepted only two valences can be found in the molecule. 

 Nitric oxide has always been a puzzle, since the oxygen is 

 monovalent, or the nitrogen bivalent. The cohesion shows 

 that there are only two valences, which again means that the 

 oxygen and nitrogen are monovalent. 1 



From its cohesion, then, oxygen appears to be either 

 monovalent, bivalent, or tetravalent. 



2. Sulfur 



Sulfur is generally supposed to be bivalent, but at times 

 to open up two or four residual valences. So far I have not 

 found any compounds with bivalent sulfur, except probably 

 carbonyl sulfide, when the valence is computed from the 

 cohesion. All the sulfur compounds have either quadrivalent 

 or hexavalent sulfur, if the valence is determined by this 

 method. Even sulfuretted hydrogen is no exception to this 

 statement. Table 3 contains the results. 

 TABLE 3 THE VALENCE OF SUBSTANCES CONTAINING SULFUR 



1 A very interesting fact which may be cited in support of the view that 

 oxygen in these three gases is in a state different from the ordinary, and, hence, 

 possibly monovalent, is the following: Oxygen gas and nitric oxide are strongly 

 paramagnetic, and carbon monoxide is far more paramagnetic, or rather far less 

 diamagnetic, than carbon dioxide which contains more oxygen. In all other 

 compounds oxygen is diamagnetic. It is clear that the oxygen in the three 

 gases which this method shows to contain monovalent oxygen has magnetic 

 properties different from oxygen in other oxygen compounds. This fact has not 

 hitherto been explicable. The following figures showing the para- or diamag- 

 netism of different gases I have taken from Auerbach's article on Magnetism in 

 the Handbuch der Physik, 5, 274 (1908). 



O 2 NO CO Air C 2 H 4 CH 4 CO 2 N 2 O N 2 H 2 



+ 4.83; +1.60; -0.009; *> -0.068; -0.063; ~-33! -0.018; -0.015; -o.oo2(?) 



