110 Prof. Louis Henry on the Polymerization 



5 b"A 



Hg" 4 (N0 3 ) 2 3 



Hg" 4 (S0 4 )0 3 



OH 



N0 3 



Hg/\ 



/ 



/ 



\ \ 



Pb 



Hg 



\ 



N 



\ 



/ \ 



b 







Hg \ 



/ 



/ 



\ 



Pb 



Hg 







\ 



N 



/ / 











Hg / 



/ 



/ 



\ / 



pi) 



Hg 



/ 



\ 



\ 



«■■ '/ / 



OH 







N0 3 



Hg / 







so 4 



The corresponding polymeric oxides (PbO)„ and (HgO)„ 

 being probably represented by analogous formulae : — 



(PbO), (HgO). 



Pb Pb . . Pb Pb Hg Hg . . Hg Hg 



\\/ \ / \ / \ ' \/v/ w \ / 



Pb Pb . . Pb Pb Hg Hg . . Hg Hg 



There is thus formed a kind of closed chain of polyvalent 

 radicals alternating with n atoms of oxygen. It is thus seen 

 that the number of atoms of the radical R accumulated in 

 such a complex molecule may be considerable, and is theo- 

 retically illimitable. Similar groupings cannot occur in the 

 case of the chlorides, on account of the nature of chlorine, 

 which is a monovalent element, and consequently incapable 

 of uniting directly with two other distinct atoms. All mole- 

 cular condensation thus disappears, when in a polymeric 

 oxide the oxygen is replaced by chlorine, as in the case of 

 (As 2 3 ) 2 , which, under the action of chlorine, is converted 

 into AsCl 3 . Also, as in the case of the polymers (O w H 2M 0) x , 

 more especially those of aldehydes, which arc converted by 

 PC1 5 into the chlorides C n H 2n Cl 2 , identical with those fur- 

 nished by the oxides (C n H 2n O) themselves. 



Heat of Formation of the Oxides. 



The combination of a body with itself, or the act of poly- 

 merization, is accompanied by tho development of heat, as 





