320 Scientific Proceedings^ Royal Dublin Societij. 



Summary. 



1. Nitrogen peroxide vapour acted rapidly on diphenyl ether forming 210- 

 and 4-10-dinitrodiplienyletlier togetlier witli some 2-4-dinitrophenoI. In carbon 

 tetrachloride solution the main products were 2-10-dinitrodiphenylether and 

 2-4-dinitrophenol, but in acetic acid solution . the chief product was 4-nitro- 

 diphenylether. 



2. Nitric acid at low concentrations in acetic acid solution had no appreciable 

 action on diphenylether. At more or less high concentrations 4-nitrodiphenyl- 

 ether was formed. 



In carbon tetrachloride solution, even at low concentrations of the nitric 

 acid, 4-nitro-, 210-, and 410-dinitrodiphenylether, and 2-4-dinitrophenol were 

 formed. 



3. Concentrated nitric acid converted the ether into 4-nitro-, 410-dinitro- 

 and 2-4'8-10-tetranitrodiphenylether. The last substance, which was also obtained 

 from 2-4-dinitroclilorobenzene and 2-4-dinitrophenol, melted at 195° C. 



4. By the action of nitric acid on 4-nitrodiphenylether, 4-10- and 2-10-dinitro-, 

 with 2-4-8-10-tetranitrodiphenjdether, were formed. This tetranitro comijouncl 

 was also prepared by the nitration of 2-4-dinitro-, or 2-4-10-trinitrodiphenylether. 



5. A pentanitrodiphenylether, which was probably the 2-4-6-8-10-pentanitro 

 derivative, was obtained by nitrating 2-4-6-trinitro, or 2-4-6-8-tetranitrodiphenyl- 

 ether. It melted at 210° C. 



The above research was undertaken at the request of the Research Section 

 of Nobel's Explosives Company, to whom we are indebted for a grant in aid 

 of the investigation. 



