382 Mr. P. Griess on a New Class of Compounds [June 16, 



Alplia-nitrochlorobenzol furnishes, when reduced by means of sulphide of 

 ammonium, the ordinary (alpha-) chloraniUne ; beta-chloronitrobenzol 

 yielding a new base of like composition (beta-chloraniline), distinguished 

 from the former by its oily nature. 



Corresponding diazo- compounds can readily be prepared from the horao- 

 logues of aniline and other analogous bases by submitting them to a treat- 

 ment exactly similar to that which in case of aniline yielded diazobenzol. 

 Thus I have obtained the diazo-compounds from toluidine, naphthalidiue, 

 and nitranisidine, €-H^(N02)0. I have abstained from entering more 

 fully into a description of their physical and chemical habitus, as well as 

 the respective products of decomposition to which they give rise, since they 

 offer nothing characteristically new*. 



All compounds already described have been derivations from monoatomic 

 amido-bases.l I have on a former occasionfhad an opportunity of pointing 

 out that the action of nitrous acid upon diatomic bases, such as nitrate of 

 benzidine, is perfectly analogous to that which gives rise to the formation 

 of nitrate of diazobenzol from nitrate of aniline. "Whilst, however, in the 

 last-mentioned reaction only'one atom of nitrous acid exchanges its nitrogen 

 for three atoms of hydrogen of the original compound, six atoms of hydrogen 

 are exchanged for two atoms of nitrogen when nitrous acid reacts upon 

 nitrate of benzidine. Respecting these compounds I shall only briefly 

 describe a few general properties and a few products of decomposition. 



Sulphate of Tetrasodiphenyl, 2Q^^^^^^, SSH^O^, cr3^stallizes in white 

 or slightly yellowish- coloured needles, which are very soluble in water, and 

 almost insoluble in strong alcohol and ether. On boiling the alcoholic 

 solution, the following decomposition takes place : — 



2€,,H3N ,, 3SH,0 ,-t-4 H, 0= 2€^H,, 0,+ N3 + O,. 



Sulphate of tetrazodi- Diphenylenic acid 



phenyl. (diphenylene-alcohol). 



I have already had occasion to describe diphenylenic acid (diphenylene- 

 alcohol) obtained by decomposition, analogous to that of nitrate of tetrazo- 

 diphenyl with water, and I have therefore only to refer to what has been 

 stated on that occasion. 



The decomposition which tetrazodiphenyl undergoes on boiling with 



* In a former notice (Proceedings, Jan. 22, 1863) I briefly described the formation of 

 nitrate of naphthol, which by its decomposition w ith water gave rise to the long-sought- 

 for naphthyl-alcohol, G^q Hg 0. 



t Proceedings, Jan. 22, 1863. 



