24. Decomposition of Ammonium Platinichloride and 
Platinibromide under the Influence of Heat 
By PraruLttaA CHanprRA RAy and Atut CHANDRA 
GuosH, M.A., Research Scholar, Presidency College. 
The decomposition of ammonium. seca by heat 
has been investigated by Maumené, who seems to be of 
opinion that the nitrogen of this compound comes off in the 
shape of di-imide ! (Bull, Soc. Chim. [3], 4, 1890). It seemed 
Sairable to study the decomposition products of ammonium- 
platinichloride and platinibromide under similar conditions. 
‘AMMONIUM PLATINICHLORIDE. 
Berzelius evidently noticed the decomposition of this com- 
pound (Gmelin’s Handbook of Chemistry, translated by Watts, 
1852, VI, 308) ; but as the record of this work is very meagre 
and as we have observed some new interesting facts, we 
he salt was Saher in the soaat way, washed with alcohol 
and dried at 100—104°. Analyses of several distinct pre- 
parations gave, on ignition, the mean percentage of platinum 
as 43°41, that required by theory being 43°85. 
METHOD oF EXPERIMENT. 
It will be shown below that the decomposition of the 
ean takes place according to the equation as given by 
Berzelius 
3 (WH, , PtCl,=3Pt + 16HC1 + 2NH,Cl + 2N, 
which requires the a Etec ecu of chlorine and 
nitrogen distributed as follow: 
The original memoir is not available here; our informatio: 
ect dein the Abs. Chem. Soc. Journ. 1890, 262. It $9 evidently 
Scomposition o um platinichloride according to the equation : 
Pcie NH,CI=Pt +4410) + 2NH HCl. (Vide Moissen s Chimie Minér- 
ale. This error has also oo dois 8 ated in Caven and Lander’s 
Sy. ic Inorganic Chameatey p- 192. 
