Ryan AND O'Eiokdan — On a-, /3-, and y- Trinitrotoluenes. 185 



yellow coloration with ammonia, while y-trinitroluene gives a blue, and 

 hexanitrodibenzyl a pink, coloration under the same conditions. 



The amount of the substance obtained was insufficient for further 

 examination. 



In another experiment 2 grams of -/-trinitrotoluene 1 were heated on the 

 water-bath for two hours with a solution of 2 grams of sodium carbonate in 

 50 c.c. of water. The products obtained in this case were the same as those 

 got when caustic soda was employed. 



VII. Action of Aqueous Ammonia on y- Trinitrotoluene. 



Five grams of a-trinitrotoluene and 100 c.c. of ammonia (formed by 

 diluting 50 c.c. of concentrated ammonia to 100 c.c.) were shaken in a stoppered 

 bottle for a month. At the end of that time the brown liqiiid was filtered, 

 and the residual solid was washed with water and dried. On extraction with 

 boiling benzene a slight amount of unchanged trinitrotoluene passed into 

 solution, leaving a dark-brown amorphous residue, which exploded feebly on 

 heating. The ammoniacal solution on acidification gave a brown amorphous 

 precipitate. 



VIII. Action of Ammonia on (5- Trinitrotoluene. 

 -1. Alcoholic Ammonia. 



Two grams of /3-trinitrotoluene, 5 c.c. of strong ammonia, and 35 c.c. of 

 alcohol were shaken in a stoppered bottle for four hours. On adding the 

 ammonia a greenish coloration was produced, and this gradually changed to 

 a brownish-yellow. The trinitrotoluene went into solution, and after some 

 time a yellow solid separated. After a few hours' shaking the mixture was 

 allowed to stand overnight. The yellow solid was separated, filtered, dried, 

 and recrystallised from alcohol. It melted at 95-96° 0., and was therefore 

 identical with the /3-dinitrotoluidine of Hepp. 



Its alcoholic solution gave a bright-red coloration with caustic soda, which 

 turned crimson when the solution was warmed. 



2. Aqueous Ammonia. 



Two grams of /3-trinitrotoluene were shaken with 40 c.c. of ammonia 

 (formed by diluting 20 c.c. of concentrated ammonia with water to 40 c.c). 

 The liquid gradually acquired a brownish-yellow colour, and the solid changed 



1 On purifying some crude •y-trinitrotoluene !>y crystallisation From benzene a black 

 amorphous solid remained undissolved. This substance resembled the dark-coloured 



insoluble solids isolated from the products of reaction of the trinitrotoluenes with alkalies, 

 and exploded when heated ou a platinum foil. 



