130 Chemistry and Chemical Arts. 
red heat, when it is transformed into a neutral phosphate, carbon, and 
carburetted hydrogen. 
From the foregoing, it appears that the theory of etherification re- 
quires the following modification: sulphuric and phosphoric acid in 
contact with alcohol, form, in combining with it, a bi-sulphate, or a 
bi-phosphate of alcohol, which subjected to the action of heat, is de- 
composed into water, into sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid and into 
ether.—Idem. 
5. New Compounds of Platinum, by Dorprrriner. (Ann de 
Ch., t. 53, p. 204.)—If the chloride of platinum is mixed witha so- 
lution of carbonate of soda in excess, and exposed for some days to 
the sun, in a heat of 100°, a chrome-yellow precipitate will gradu- 
ally appear, partly in powder, and partly in crystals, which is a com- 
pound of oxide of platinum and of soda, the proportions not being 
accurately determined, and which contains sometimes, besides, from 
0.5 to 1.0 per cent. of chlorine. He regards it, provisionally, as a 
platinate of soda. Heated to redness, it gives at first a portion of 
water, afterwards some acid, and becomes at the same time black ; 
in this state, water removes the soda it contains. ‘The residue ap- 
pears to be a mixture of platinum and oxide of platinum. Acetic 
acid removes from this salt, all the soda it contains, and leaves the ox- 
ide of platinum, of an ochreous yellow color. A small quantity of 
this oxide dissolves in the acid without coloring it; from whence it 
would seem to follow, that the oxide of platinum does not dissolve 
at all, or only with difficulty, in acetic acid. Formic acid decompo- 
ses completely the platinate of soda, when aided by a gentle heat. 
The reduced platinum has the appearance ofa black powder, which 
becomes instantly red, when scattered over paper slightly moistened 
by alcohol. Ovxalic acid dissolves the new salt, with the develope- 
ment of carbonic acid, when heat is employed. Nitric acid also dis- 
solves with ease, the platinate of soda, giving a deep yellow solution. 
By mixing the chloride of platinum with a little cream of lime, and 
afterwards adding a great quantity of water to the mixture, and ex- 
posing it after filtration to the sun, it promptly becomes cloudy, and 
after the expiration of some hours, a flocculent precipitate presents 
itself, which after being boiled, forms a yellowish white powder. 
This isa chloride of platinum, with platinate of lime, containing be- 
sides the oxide of platina, the lime, and the water, about 95 per ct. 
of chlorine.—Jdem. 
