320 MR C. G. WILLIAMS ON THE VOLATILE BASES 



Chinoline is the chief constituent of all the fractions boiling between 420° and 

 470° F. (216°-243° C), in the twelfth rectification ; it is also contained in small 

 quantity in the fractions a little below and above those points. 



In a case like the present, where the chief means of separation was distilla- 

 tion, it was, of course, impossible to obtain the 18 and 20 carbon bases perfectly 

 free from each other, and in bodies of so high an atomic weight, it was useless to 

 attempt to prove their constitution by analyses of the bases themselves, as they 

 only differ by *2 of a per cent, in the carbon, and when freed from those of the 

 picoline series are extremely difficult to burn. 



As no doubt exists of the constitution of the double salt formed with chloride 

 of platinum, and as the salts of the two bases differ in the amount of carbon they 

 contain by two per cent., and, moreover, are readily obtained pure, I availed my- 

 self of them to determine the fact of the existence of the two homologous bases 

 in the fractions. 



The properties of chinoline and lepidine approach so nearly, that one descrip- 

 tion will serve for both, less distinction being observable between them than is 

 found to occur with a difference of C 2 H 2 in the other volatile bases. 



It is remarkable to find bases boiling at such extremely high temperatures 

 give such well crystallized salts as those of chinoline and lepidine ; even the 

 portion boiling at 520° F. (271° C.) affords a fine platinum salt, almost in- 

 soluble in water, and without the slightest tendency to assume a resinous or oily 

 condition, as the salts obtained from bases with such high boiling points are so 

 liable to do. 



As chinoline has. so long been known, although not in a state of purity, I was 

 satisfied, for the purposes of the present investigation, with determining the com- 

 position of its platinum salt by the following analyses :— 



M 



n.{ 



"10-325 grains of platinochloride of chinoline boiling between 410° and 420° F. (210 c - 

 215° C), tenth rectification, gave 

 12*090 ... carbonic acid and 

 2-880 ... water. 



4-280 ... platinochloride of chinoline gave 

 1-260 ... platinum. 



3-530 grains of platinochloride of chinoline gave 

 1*045 ... platinum. 



( 6-560 grains of platinochloride of chinoline gave 

 III. < 7*755 ... carbonic acid and 

 ( 1-550 ... water. 



{9-900 grains of platinochloride of chinoline gave 

 11-805 ... carbonic acid and 

 2*300 ... water. 



3*265 grains of platinochloride of chinoline boiling between 420° and 430" F. (216°- 

 221° C), eleventh rectification, gave 

 ■960 ... platinum. 



