300 M. Schischkoff on Nitroform. 



He finds that nitroform, G (NO 2 ) 3 H, is a strong acid, and 

 readily exchanges its atom of hydrogen for metals, forming true 

 salts. This hydrogen can also be replaced by bromine and by 

 hyponitrous acid. When nitroform, mixed with bromine, was 

 exposed to the sunlight, hydrobromic acid was formed, and the 

 mixture became decolorized. The resultant product was washed 

 with water, in which it is somewhat soluble ; it is liquid at tem- 

 peratures above -f 12° C, but below that point solidifies to a cry- 

 stalline mass. It has the formula G (NO 2 ) 3 Br. 



In order to replace the hydrogen in nitroform by hyponitrous 

 acid, a current of air was passed through a mixture of nitroform 

 with sulphuric and nitric acids heated to 100°. A liquid di- 

 stilled over, from which, on the addition of water, an insoluble 

 oily liquid was precipitated. This substance boils at 12G°C. 

 without any decomposition ; it is colourless, mobile, and fluid 

 at ordinary temperatures, but solidifies at + 13° C. to a white 

 crystalline mass. It has the composition G (NO 2 ) 4 , and sin- 

 gularly enough, although it contains an atom more hyponitrous 

 acid, it is more stable than nitroform ; it does not explode when 

 rapidly heated, but decomposes, giving off nitrous vapours. 



Schischkoff had found that trinitroacetonitrile, € 2 (NO 2 ) 3 N, 

 was decomposed by sulphuretted hydrogen, yielding a body 

 G 2 (NO 2 ) 2 (NH 4 ) N, which he called bmitroammonyle. This he 

 has since found* to be the ammonium-salt of the body binitro- 

 acetonvtrile, <3 2 (NO*) 2 H N, which has strongly acid properties. 

 Binitroacetonitrile is obtained by treating an aqueous solution of 

 binitroammonyle with sulphuric acid and agitating the mixture 

 with ether. On evaporating the etherial solution, the acid cry- 

 stallizes in large colourless plates. The silver and potassium 

 salts of this body were prepared. The silver-salt has the for- 

 mula G 2 (NO 2 ) 2 Ag N; when treated with bromine in presence of 

 water, bromide of silver is formed, and an oily product, which is 

 probably bromobinitroacetonitrile, O 2 (NO 2 ) 2 Br N. 



A series of experiments by Wurtz and Fricdel on lactic 

 acidf confirm the conclusion j that lactic acid contains a dia- 

 tomic radical, and that its two equivalents of replaceable hy- 

 drogen are not of identical value. 



There are two ethers of lactic acid which are isomeric, but 

 completely different in properties. One of them, ethylactic 

 acid, is obtained by treating dilactate of ethyle with caustic 

 potash ; the other is neutral, and was first obtained by Strccker 

 in distilling lactate of lime with sulphovinatc of potash. Wurtz 



* Liebig's Annalen, August 18C1. 

 f Comptes Kendus, May 27, 1861. 

 X Phil. Mag. vol. xviii. p. 2^7. 



