234 Royal Society : — 



was found to contain 



C 3 „H 3? N CI. 

 Dissolved in hydrochloric acid, this salt furnished a diacid compound 

 which, on evaporation in vacuo, separates in long straw-coloured 

 needles. The highly deliquescent character of this substance has 

 hitherto prevented me from analysing it ; but if there was the slightest 

 doubt of this compound having the composition 



C 3 JI 40 N 2 C1 2 =C 30 H 39 N 2 C1,HC1, 

 it would be dispelled by the analysis of a fine-yellow difficultly solu- 

 ble platinum-salt crystallizing in small well-defined rhombic plates, 

 which falls directly on addition of dichloride of platinum to the alco- 

 holic solution of the diacid chloride, containing a considerable amount 

 of hydrochloric acid, and which, by analysis, was found to be repre- 

 sented by the formula 



C 30 H 40 N 2 Cl 2 ,2PtC1 2 . 

 The gold-salt is obtained by precipitating the solution of the acid 

 chloride with trichloride of gold, when a yellow, scarcely crystalline 

 precipitate is formed, which, dried in vacuo, contains 



C 30 H 40 N 2 C1 2 , 2AuCJ 3 . 

 I have, moreover, prepared the monacid bromide, which forms beau- 

 tiful metal-lustrous prisms easily crystallizable ; the diacid nitrate as 

 a crystalline network, on evaporating a solution of the base in nitric 

 acid in vacuo ; and, lastly, the acid sulphate, which crystallizes in 

 white, well-formed rhombic tables, very soluble in water, but insoluble 

 in alcohol, by which it is not decomposed like the other diacid com- 

 pounds. 



I have refrained from multiplying the analytical evidences by the 

 minute examination of these salts, because I was happy enough to 

 observe a reaction which supported the interpretation of the results 

 of analysis in an unequivocal manner. Remembering the simple 

 scission which I had formerly accomplished by exposing the iodide 

 of tetrethylammonium to the action of heat, when the compound 

 splits into iodide of ethyle and triethylamine, I was induced to submit 

 the green iodide to distillation. The green crystals rapidly fuse into 

 a blue liquid, the surface of which presents a peculiar coppery lustre. 

 On raising the temperature, decomposition takes place, and in the 

 receiver is condensed a mixture of lepidine and iodide of amyle, the 

 reunion of which to iodide of amyl-lepidyl-ammonium may be pre- 

 vented by collecting them in hydrochloric acid ; at the same time a 

 gas is evolved, burning with a brilliant flame and readily absorbed by 

 bromine, and which could easily be condensed by passing it through 

 a serpentine surrounded with ice. I was thus enabled to collect 

 enough of the volatile hydrocarbon to determine its boiling-point, 

 which proved it to be pure amylene. If the heat be carefully regu- 

 lated, the amount of charcoal remaining in the retort is comparatively 

 small. The interpretation of the phenomena observed is given in 

 the following equation : — 



C 30 H 39 N 2 I=2C 10 H 9 N + C 5 H U I + C 5 H 10 

 Green iodide. Lepidine. Iodide of Amylene. 



amyle. 



