204 KESEARCHES UPON THE CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF GASES. 



no action upon the sulphide. On warming the soda solution, therefore, the sulphide, 

 condensed and floating upon its surface, may be expelled in vapor form. In the fol- 

 lowing experiments methyl sulphide, prepared by the action of methyl chloride upon 

 potassium sulphide and also by the method of Klason, was used. 



Methyl sulphide is a colorless liquid, boiling at 37° C. 



The compound formed by mercuric chloride Avith methyl sulphide is 

 (CH3)2SHgCl2. The yellow precipitate produced in platinum chloride solution is 

 PtS2(CH3)4Cl4. On standing or on warming, the powder changes to a crystalline, 

 isomeric form (for an important discussion of this and other alkyl sulphide com- 

 pounds, see Enebuske, J. Pr. Ghem. (2), XXXYIII, p. 358). 



Bromine combines directly with methyl sulphide, yielding a crystallizable, vola- 

 tile compound, (CH3)2SBr2. Oxygen unites directly with methyl sulphide, yielding 

 (CH3)2SO and (0113)2802, and it appears, as already stated, to be impossible to 

 oxidize the thioether to sulphuric acid by reagents in solution (see Richter, Organic 

 Chemistry, trs. by Smith). 



Reactions. 



In the following experiments the vapor was caused to pass into the various 

 solutions. 



REAGENTS. REACTIONS. 



Palladium chloride Ko cbange in highly dilute solution. In a 2 per cent. 



solution of palladium chloride, an orange-colored, ' 

 pulverulent precipitate occurs, soluble on boiling. 

 As the solution cools, the substance is redeposited 

 in beautiful, orange-colored crystals. These crys- 

 tals are apparently monoclinic and, although none 

 were obtained sufficiently large for measurement, 

 they resemble strongly the usual forms of selenite. 



Platinum chloride Precipitate of a lighter yellow color than the preced- 

 ing. Somewhat soluble on heating, but less so than 

 the palladium compound. The precipitate becomes 

 distinctly crystalline on standing. 



Gold chloride Yellow precipitate, which becomes white and finally 



redissolves on continuing to pass the vapor through 

 the solution. 



Mercuric chloride White precipitate. Very delicate reaction. When highly 



magnified the precipitate is seen to consist of trans- 

 parent crystals, apparently monoclinic. 



Copper sulphate Unchanged. 



Ammoniacal copper sulphate Unchanged. 



Silver nitrate Turns brown, but little or no precipitation occurs. 



Ammoniacal silver nitrate Unchanged. 



Cadmium chloride Unchanged. 



