* 



Chemistry and Physics. 429 



of the oxyd of tetrelhylammonium. The oxyd of the new base N(Ci 

 Hs)^ is easily obtained by digesting the iodid with oxyd of silver in 

 slight excess and filtering, when a clear and' colorless solution of the 

 new oxyd passes the filter. As thus prepared the liquid exhibits the 

 strongest analogy to the caustic alkalies potash and soda, it possesses a 

 pungent bitter taste, when concentrated It acts upon the epidermis 

 which it destroys like caustic potash ; like this too, it saponifies fats; 

 converts furfuramide into furfurine; decomposes oxalic elher into ox- 

 alic acid and alcohol ; expels ammonia from its sails even in the cold, 

 and may be substituted for potash in Troramer's well known test for 

 sugar. In its action upon metallic salts the new oxyd is also exactly 

 analogous to caustic potash ; it yields however no amalgam correspond- 

 ing to the well ]ino'^n butyraceous ammonium compound. When 

 evaporated upon the air-pump over sulphuric acid and lime the oxyd 

 may be obtained dry, and even crystallized in long hair-like needles; 

 the dry mass appears to be the hydrate N(C4 H6)4 0, HO correspond- 

 ing to the hydrate o?' potash KO, HO. A concentrated solution of the 

 oxyd of tetrethylammonium is decomposed by boiling, yielding water, 

 triethylamine and olefiant gas, NC16H20O, H0=NCi2 His-f-C^ 

 H4:-j-2HO. The salts of the new base are mostly very soluble and 

 even deliquescent ; the double chlorid of platinum and tetreihylam- 

 monium crystallizes in beautiful octahedrons. The other new ammo- 

 niums described by Hofmann are, 



(2.) Methylotriethylammonium, N. (C4 H5) 3 . C2 FI3. 

 (3.) Amylotriethylammonium, N. (C4 Hsjs . Cio Hn. 



(4.) Methylodiethylamylam- » N.(C4 H^^ . C2H3 . Cio Hi i. 



monium, ) ^ ' 



(5.) Phenylotriethylammoniumj N . (C4 H5)3 . C12 lib. 



(6.) Methylethylarnylphe- J N.C.Hs . C2H3 .Co Hi , .C12 H^. 



nylammonium, S 



(7.) Tetramethylammonium, N . (C2 Hs)*. 



(S.) Tetramylammonium, N . (Cio Hi 1)4- 



all of which of course exist only in combination ; among the products 

 of their decomposition by heat, the author describes several new am- 

 n)onias or nitryl bases not hitherto considered. The oxyd of tetramyl- 

 ammonium when decomposed by heat yields triamylamlne and a vola- 

 tile hydro-carbon, doubtless amylene; oxyd of tetramethylammonium 

 is also decomposed by heat, but the products of the decomposition have 

 not yet been thoroughly studied : finally the oxyds of the ammoniums 

 (3), (4) and (5), all yield olefiant gas when boiled in concentrated so- 

 lutions. By the action of the iodids of methyl and ethyl upon conine, 

 nicotine and leucollne, Hofmann has obtained new organic bases, one 

 of which — leucoline in which an equivalent of hydrogen is replaced 

 by an equivalent of methyl— may possibly prove identical with quinine, 

 Ci 8 Ht (C2 Ha) N-{-2HO=C2o H12 NO2. 



In conclusion the author directs attention to the important theoretical 

 bearinjTs of the new alkaloids. In the first place it is to be observed 



7 



that tlie action of the bromids or iodids of the alcohol radicals upon 

 ammonia, give rise to not less than four distinct groups of organic ba 

 ses ; three of these— ammonzas— are volatile, t!ie loanh—ammoniums 



Skcond Sekies, Vol. XII, No. SC— Not., 1851. 



65 



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