530 Prof. A. H. Church on certain Ethylphosphates, [Dec. 8, 



which it undergoes when heated. It begins indeed to decompose, though 

 very slightly, at 100°, even when water is present, giving off a distinct 

 odour of triethylamine. But on heating the salt itself to a temperature 

 exceeding 100°, decomposition becomes more rapid, and the substance is 

 finally resolved into triethylamine and triethylic phosphate, 



C,H„ [(C,H,),N]„PO,= (C, H,)3PO.+2(C,H,)3N. 

 The triethylamine was analytically identified by a platinum- determination 

 in the double chloride made from it by addition of hydrochloric acid and 

 platinic chloride. The metamorphosis of this ethylphosphate is perhaps 

 more easily seen by means of the following arrangement of its formula : — 



c.H, In 

 c.H, In 



C^H, J 



Several ethylphosphates have been prepared besides those described in 

 the present paper; most of these salts, however, presented no marked 

 features of interest. The ammonium, nickel, chromic, mercurous, and 

 platinic compounds were investigated more particularly. The mercurous 

 ethylphosphate is somewhat difficult to prepare ; it is best made by adding 

 a few drops of mercurous nitrate to a strong solution of potassic ethylphos- 

 phate, filtering off the grey precipitate first formed, and then adding a 

 further quantity of the mercurous nitrate in solution ; if the solutions are 

 not too concentrated the salt gradually separates in pearly plates. Hot 

 water partially dissolves this salt, the residue becoming yellow, and the 

 solution acquiring a distinct acid reaction. It is slightly soluble in cold 

 water, though not altogether without decomposition ; it is insoluble in 

 alcohol. Dissolved in dilute nitric acid and precipitated by chloride of 

 sodium, the air-dried crystals of this salt gave the following result : — 



•236 grm. gave '191 grm. of Hg" CI. 

 This corresponds to 71*09 per cent, of mercury; the formula CgH^Hg^^PO^ 

 + 2 Aq requires 71 '45 per cent. The more probable formula, Cgllg Hg^'^PO^ 

 -fAq, requires 73*82 per cent. 



In offering the foregoing results to the Society, I do not wish it to be 

 supposed that I consider them conclusive so far as regards the theoretical 

 considerations introduced into the present paper. It is possible that the 

 various aluminium and iron salts described may be mixtures only, in spite 

 of their apparent constancy of composition ; or, again, it may be that their 

 formulee ought to be doubled or quadrupled. Moreover the constitution 

 of ethylphosphoric acid itself has not been made out : I trust that the study 

 of diethyl-, ethylpyro-, and ethylmeta- phosphoric acids, and of the pro- 



