On the Properties of Telluramyl and Selenmethyl. 249 
They are quite deliquescent, very soluble both in hot and cold 
water and also in alcohol, haviug a disagreeable odor, and a most 
disgusting metallic taste which continues fora long time in the 
mouth. Ignited they burn with a blue selenium flame. Sulphur- 
ous acid reduces from their solution selenmethyl. Hydrochloric 
acid gives no precipitate. 
The crystals melt at 122° C., toa elear yellow fluid, which 
becomes on cooling a yellow crystalline mass: on heating further 
it deflagrates slightly, burning with a strong, very acrid smell, and 
attacking the eyes. On heating in a closed tube it is partially 
decomposed at about the melting point, and a small quantity of 
yellow oil is volatilized, smelling like selenmethyl: by increasing 
the heat it is decomposed, and crystals of selenions acid are 
formed in the cool part of the tube, together with water and 
drops of a beautiful dark red oil, part of the selenium remaining 
behind in fused globules. : 
On dissolving this crystalline body (produced by the action of 
nitric acid on selenmethyl) in ammonia, a crystalline salt is ob- 
tained, from which potassa sets free ammonia. i 
Silver salt.—The acid, on being mixed in an agate mortar with 
carbonate of silver, (prepared by precipitating a solution of the 
nitrate with carbonate of soda, and carefully washing the precipi- 
tate,) was immediately acted upon on moistening the mass with 
Water, carbonic acid being evolved in considerable quantity. 4 he 
mass was then placed upon a filter and washed fora long time 
with hot water, as the silver salt seems to be soluble with diffi- 
culty. By evaporating the solution, beautiful stellate groups of 
fine colorless and transparent needle crystals are obtained. 
"his body is probably analogous to the acids obtained by the 
action of nitric acid upon the sulphids of ethyl and methyl, 
Which have for their formule 
C:H:0) C4Hs,O0 By 
H O« $204 pe H Of S2Ost- 
The formula for this acid would accordingly be 
C20 2 620107, OzHsSe20s ; 
And that of the silyer salt would be ‘ 
suis ne Se:O:—or, CzH2AgSe:0:. 
_ Several analyses were made from this salt; but we could ar 
"We at no satisfactory results, as iu the silver determinations ae 
chlorid of silver was always rendered impure through admixture 
selenium or selenid of silver, which appeared to be precipitated 
* an 
* Kolbe, Ann, Chem, Pharm, liv, 174, + Gerhardt, Traité de Chem. Organ. ii, 287. 
Ty 
Skconp Serres, Vol. XXI, No, 62.—March, 1856. 32 
eS Soin 
