﻿24 Messrs. E. T. Chapman and M. H. Smith on the 



(1) Action of an organic iodide, bromide, or chloride on a 

 metallic cyanide. 



For example, K C"" N"' + C 2 H 5 1 = C 2 H 5 C N + KI. 



(2) Action of sulphovinates on metallic cyanides. 

 For example, 



S0 4 |^ 2 H 5 + KC''''N''' = C 2 H 5 CN + S0 4 |K 



(3) Dehydration of the ammonia-salts, or the amides of the 

 acids of the same carbon condensation as the cyanide produced. 

 For example, 



Propionate of ammonia. C 3 H 6 O 2 N H 3 -2H 2 = C 2 H 5 CN. 

 Propionamide . . . C 3 H 5 ONH 2 - H 2 = C 2 H 5 CN, 



The first two of these methods may also give rise to the so-called 

 pseudo-cyanides ; or perhaps we should say that analogous opera- 

 tions on differently constituted metallic cyanides give rise to the 

 pseudo-cyanides. It proves nothing against this hypothesis 

 that one and the same metallic cyanide may give rise to both, or 

 now one and now the other of the cyanides; for the metallic 

 cyanides themselves may be very liable to change their internal 

 arrangement in accordance with external circumstances. 



The third process gives us but one cyanide — the normal one. 



The question naturally arises, is there any analogue of this 

 last process which will give rise to the pseudo-cyanides ? Perhaps 

 Hofmann's method for the preparation of these bodies may be 

 regarded as to a great extent analogous. But we find that there 

 is a much more strictly analogous process ; for by dehydrating 

 the formiates of the amides we obtain the pseudo-cyanides. 

 The first step in the dehydration of the formiates of the amides 

 is the difficulty ; but by starting with the formamides no difficulty 

 is experienced. Nor is there the slightest difficulty in obtaining 

 the compound formamides; they are produced with remark- 

 able ease by digesting the compound ammonias with formic 

 ether. By digesting aniline with formic ether in excess at 

 130° C. for a few hours, it is completely converted into phenyl- 

 formamide. Amylamine is converted into amylformamide, even in 

 the water-bath, when digested with formic ether. Ethylamine 

 is even more rapidly converted. A little alcohol facilitates the 

 reaction. These compound formamides may be purified suffi- 

 ciently by simply heating them to a temperature rather above 

 that of the water-bath for a short time. If after this treat- 

 ment they be treated with chloride of zinc (fused and in coarse 

 powder), the pseudo-cyanides are at once produced, and may 

 be recognized by their smell and by their decomposition with 

 acids. 



This process can hardly be said to be an available method of 



