ae. 
XXVI. On the Benzole Series. 
By Artuur H. Caurcu, B.A. Oxon., F.C.S.* 
Part III. Note on the Oxidation of Nitrobenzole and its 
Homologues. 
| experiments by Hofmann, Berthelot, and others 
have shown, with reference to many important organic 
substances, how incorrect is any theory which does not permit 
them to be viewed in more than one aspect. Is nitrobenzole 
simply a hydrocarbon in which one equivalent of hydrogen is 
replaced by the group NO*? or is it the hydride of nitro- 
phenyle, Ob (sos) H? or, again, is it the nitrite of phenyle, 
C!2H®, NO*? Some of the metamorphoses to which this inter- 
esting body is subject suggest one of these views, and some 
another. The ready production from nitrobenzole of phenyl- 
amine, in which the group phenyle may be reasonably supposed 
to exist, might induce us to regard nitrobenzole as a compound 
of phenyle, possibly the nitrite ; while a reaction which I pointed 
out some time agoy, in which, by the action of sulphuric acid 
upon nitrobenzole, a compound acid was formed to which the 
empirical name of nitrosulphobenzolic acid was assigned, and 
which can hardly be regarded in any other Way. except as the 
GR H, 280°, 
almost obliges us to view nitrobenzole as containing nitrophenyle. 
I propose in the present note to cite a few experiments which 
present some of the nitro-derivatives of the benzole series in a 
new light. I feel, however, that though an apology is due for 
the imperfections of the present account, yet a preliminary 
notice of my results (results which will require much time and 
labour to bring to a satisfactory conclusion) might not be unac- 
ceptable. But I should have deferred publishing any account of 
my inquiries for some time longer, tad not an acid been lately 
discovered homologous with benzoic acid, and isomeric, but not, 
I think, identical with an acid mentioned in this paper: I refer 
to collinic acid, C!? H* 04, obtained by the oxidation of gelatine. 
Then, too, several of the speculations and anticipations of Ber- 
thelot in his work on Organic Synthesis, trench somewhat closely 
upon one of the inquiries in which I have been lately engaged. 
I intend, when my inquiries are more advanced, to make the 
two new acids (phenoie and nitrophenoic) mentioned in the pre- 
sent notice the subject of another communication. 
The oxidation of toluole, xylole, and cumole by means of bi- 
sulphite of nztrophenyle and hydrogen, CO” 
* Communicated by the Author. 
t+ Phil. Mag. April and June 1855. 
