308 Mr. Williams — Researches on Isomeric Alkaloids, [June 16, 



which contain no hydrogen capable of replacement by metals or organic 

 radicals. Even assuming platinum in the above instance to be diatomic, 

 there is no reason to suppose that the hydrogen driven out by the platinum 

 has united to the chlorine to form two atoms of hydrochloric acid. The 

 author then endeavours to show that the formula 



H 



N 



H 

 Pt 



would in some respects be preferable, in which case the formula for the 

 bihydrochlorate of platino-/3-lutidine would become 



CP. 



He states, however, that a formula in which protochloride of platinum is 

 made to replace one atom of hydrogen, would probably more nearly repre- 

 sent the constitution of the substance. 



While studying these compounds, the author endeavoured to ascertain if 

 compounds having the same composition as the so-called bihydrochlorates 

 could not be formed by direct combination of the base with dichloride of 

 platinum, instead of removing an equivalent of hydrochloric acid from the 

 platinum-salt. 



Dry dichloride of platinum, on being treated with excess of /3-lutidine, 

 evolved heat, and yielded an oily fluid, which solidified on cooling. After 

 purification by treatment with dilute hydrochloric acid, a pale-brown amor- 

 phous powder resulted, which on analysis yielded the formula 

 /3C^H^"N,PtCl. 



From its totally different appearance, the author concludes that it is 

 isomeric and not identical with the sulphur-yellow body produced by boil- 

 ing the platinum-salt. 



A third compound, isomeric or identical with one of the last-described 

 bodies, should be produced by treating with chlorine the compound of 

 lutidine, or /3-lutidine with protochloride of platinum, 



(.7 JJ9/ ^ p|. CI + CI = H^'" N, Pt CP. 

 It is evident, even if the existence of bihydrochlorates of these pla- 

 tinum bases should ever be demonstrated, that all the compounds having 

 the empirical relation N, Pt CP cannot be supposed to be con- 

 stituted Hke Gerhardt's bihydrochlorate of platinamine. In fact, if we 

 suppose that the product of the action of boiling water upon a platinum- 

 salt yields such a substance, we must make the following admissions : — 



1 . That an atom of platinum or platinosum (Pt), under the form of two 

 atoms of platinicum (pt^), may replace two atoms of hydrogen. 



2. That a salt containing one atom of platinosum, with the equivalent 

 99, may, by boiling, become converted into a salt containing two atoms of 

 platinicum with an equivalent 49-5. 



