Constitution of the Diazoamido- Compounds. 521 



be expected to split asunder between the N-atoms more 

 readily on reduction or on decomposition by acids than is 

 shown to be the case by experiment. 



According to the proposed formula the unsymmetrical 

 compound of m.p. 211° (No. 1 in the table) and its ethyl- 

 derivative of m.p. 148 (No. 4 in the table) would be thus 

 written: — 



(p)N0 2 . 



/ \ 



C 6 H 4 / ,C 6 H 4 . 



H 



N0 2 (m), 



(p) N0 2 



C 2 H 5 



.N0 2 (m 



It may now be pointed out how far these formulae are in 

 harmony with the known characters of the mixed diazoamido- 

 compounds. In the first place it is obvious that the formula 

 is symmetrical, and thus explains the identity of the com- 

 pounds irrespective of the order of combination. Putting P 

 for the p-nitraniline residue and M for the m-nitraniline residue, 

 this fact may be thus represented without assuming the for- 

 mation of any intermediate additive compound: — 



-N:Nn 



N:N^ 



M = 



Consider in the next place the decomposition by hydro- 

 chloric acid : — 



<N:N 



,N:N 



If separation took place along the line a b, the products would 

 Phil. Mag. S. 5. Vol. 23. No. 145. June 1887, 2 N 



