98 HYPROCYAXIC-ACID GAS FOIIGATIOX EN CALIFORNIA. 



effects produced by an acid of greater strength than this. With a 

 more dilute acid than 1 to 1 the decomposing action on hydrocyanic 

 acid amounts to very little, as shown by experiments which are 

 reported herein. 



ACTION OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID OX HYDROCYAXIC ACID. 



According to the researches of Gautier 1 - hydrocyanic acid com- 

 bines directly and sometimes violently with hydrochloric acid, result- 

 ing in bodies comparable with the ammonium salts or the amids. 

 Gautier found that on passing dry hydrochloric-acid gas into dry 

 hydrocyanic-acid gas. then heating. to from 30° to 40 c . sealed hi glass 

 vessels, and allowing to cool, a colorless crystalline substance sepa- 

 rated. From the results of the analysis of this compound he con- 

 cluded that the formula must be HCX.HC1. He found that this body 

 was extremely hygroscopic and underwent partial dissociation, but 

 decomposed mainly into ammonium chlorid and formic acid in the 

 following manner: 



HCX .HC1 - 2H 2 = XH 3 C1 - HCOOH 



Several years later Claisen and Matthews 2 made a study of the 

 action of hydrochloric arid on hydrocyanic acid, and by employing 

 a different method also obtained a white crystalline compound, which 

 conducted itself similarly to the compound obtained by Gautier. but 

 on analysis the results did not agree with the formula HCX'.HCl as 

 found by him. 



Claisen and Matthews, from their analytical results, ascribed to 

 the compound the formula 2HCX.3HC1. and the following proper- 

 ties: '"A colorless crystalline mass, inodorous in dry. and fuming 

 strongly hi moist, air. It appears to be only slightly poisonous and 

 on solution in water shows only traces of hydrocyanic acid, probably 

 present as an impurity in the original compound. It is insoluble in 

 ethylic. formic, or acetic ethers: soluble, but with decomposition, hi 

 water and alcohol. On exposure to air it is rapidly converted into 

 ammonium chlorid and formic acid." In fact, it resembled physi- 

 cally and gave exactly the same reactions as the compound obtained 

 by Gautier. 



More recently Xef 3 has made an exhaustive study of the cyanogen 

 compounds, including the action of hydrochloric acid on hydrocyanic 

 acid. He arrived at the conclusion that these addition products are 

 derivatives of imidoformylcyanid, 



(Comptes rendus t vol. 65. p. 410, 1867. 

 i Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie. vol. 143. [ 



Annates de chimie et de physique, ser. 4. vol. 17. p. 12S. 1S69. 

 ■ Jour. Chem. Soc. vol. 41. p. 2o4. HS2. 



^BerichTederdeutschenchemisehen Gesellschaft. vol. 16, p. 30S. lsS3. 

 ; Liebig's Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie. vol. 2S7. pp. 26o-3o9. lS9o. 



