242 Dr. W. Ramsay on Picoline 



small retort, was mixed with excess of silver cyanate in the 

 cold. The silver cyanate was converted into chloride with 

 slight rise of temperature ; the liquid acquired the smell of 

 picoline, while at the same time a very pungent smell was 

 observable. After the silver chloride had been removed by 

 ■filtration, the filtrate, which had a strong smell of picoline, 

 was placed to evaporate over sulphuric acid ; after some weeks 

 small indistinctly formed crystals separated. When these 

 crystals were dissolved in water and w\armed, picoline and a 

 gas vrere given off; when heated alone, the salt fuses and 

 evolves picoline in large quantity along with some ammonia, 

 and crystals of cyamelide sublime. As was to be expected, 

 picoline has no tendency to combine with, nor is it changed 

 by, cyanic acid. The compound, when formed, is very un- 

 stable, and decomposes easily into its proximate constituents. 



Comjjounds obtained hi/ heating Picoline Plati7iichloride with 



Water. 



10 grms. of picoline platinichloride were heated in a sealed 

 tube with about 20 cub. centims. of water to 170° for some 

 days. The salt dissolved completely in the water at the ele- 

 vated temperature ; but each morning, Vv^hen the tube was cold, 

 a large quantity had crystallized out. After three days very 

 little separated in a distinctly crystalline form; but a very 

 viscid oil sank to the bottom, while flocks of a sulphur-yellow 

 colour deposited from the orange-coloured solution while cool- 

 ing. The oil was boiled repeatedly with fresh portions of 

 water ; it separated into a soluble portion consisting of un- 

 altered picoline platinichloride and a dirty yellowish-green 

 powder insoluble in water. This powder was dried at 100°, 

 and analyzed. The platinum was precipitated w^ith sulphu- 

 retted hydrogen ; and the chlorine was estimated in the filtrate. 



0-2450 grm. of substance gave 0*1115 grm. of Pt and 0-3252 

 grm. of AgCl, equal to 45'51 per cent, of platinum and 32-81 

 per cent, of chlorine. These numbers correspond with the 

 formula C(j H7 N . PtCl4, which requires 45*60 per cent, of 

 platinum and 32-87 per cent, of chlorine. The soluble por- 

 tion of the oil, when evaporated, gave off abundant fumes 

 of hydrochloric acid. 



The sulphur-yellow powder was also dried and analyzed : 

 0*4455 gr.m. gave 0-1675 grm. of platinum =37-59 per cent., 

 and 0-4748 grm. of silver chloride =26*35 per cent. 



These numbers correspond with the formula (Cg 117^)2 PtCl^, 

 Avhich requires 27*02 per cent of chlorine and 37*58 per cent, 

 of platinum. It is analogous to Anderson's chloride of platino- 



