C. L. Jackson— Methyl and Benzyl Compounds. 145 
Nitrobenzyl Selenocyanate, C,H ,(NO,)SeCN, can be prepared 
by ne benzyl- selenocyanate with fuming nitric acid at 
—4°; 0 Hilution, white crystals mixed with an oil are depos- 
ited ; these were purified by pressing between filter paper and 
crystallizing from boiling alcoho nitric acid much above 
0° was us sed, the amount of product was much smaller, and 
was mixed with an acid of the formula C,H,(NO,)COOH, 
probably a mixture of nitrodracylic acid and one of the other 
isomeres. A more convenient way of preparing the substance 
consists in treating potassic selenocyanate with nitrobenzyl 
chloride, C,H (NO, )CH H,Cl, prepared according to Strakosch’s 
metho d,* decolorizing with bon e-black, and reerystallizing from 
boiling alcohol. The substances prepared by_these two methods 
seem to be identical and not isomeric, as has been already ob- 
served in the case of nitrobenzyl sulphoeyanate by Henry 
Calculated for C;H,(NO,)SeON. pains) 
Carbon: . 3226s). 40-00 40°87 
Hydrogen... ----- 2°50 é 8°12 
It forms globular masses of radiating needles resembling 
wavellite, has but little odor, melts at 122° (uncorr.), is in- 
soluble in vold water and alcohol, a sotihte? in both when 
boiling, insoluble in ether. It disso Ives i in ammonia, but is of 
tained unaltered from this solution by acidifying, or by eva 
rating to dryness and recrystallizing. It is possible that the 
substance prepared from benzylselenocyanate is a little more 
easily soluble in ammonia than that prepared from nitrobenzyl- 
¢ 
SELENINES. 
These compounds correspond to the sulphines discovered by 
Oefele. They should be called selenoniums and sulphoniums 
instead of selenines and sulphines, as they correspond to the 
salts of the compound ammoniums, and not to the tertiary 
amines, ye is selves from the annexed comparison : 
HS H, 
(cH AN 
(CH,), NI (OH): SI CH 
Further, they resemble the compound ammoniums in all their 
properties, especially in their tending to form iodine addition- 
products — alkaline hydrates. 
B elenide was moistened with an excess of methyl 
iodide and aliowat to stand for several days; it turned black 
and became pasty. On washing the mass with water and 
evaporating the wash water, white prisms were obtained con- 
sisting of trimethylselenonium iodide (CH,), Sel, already de- 
scribed by Cahours,$ while the black residue consists of benzyl- 
dimethylselenonium-triiodide and benzyl iodide. 
* Berichte deutschen ch h schaft, 
nd Chin Pata, — a! Gesell vi, 1056. + Ibid., ii, 637. 
Av. Jorr, Sar, pap secmasarnt raha oe X. No, 56.—Anrener, 1875. 
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