1866.] 



of Phosphorus on iflie Aromatic Monamines. 



57 



substance containing phosphorus behind. The clear filtered solution,- 

 after cooling, yields, on the addition of soda, a white crystalline precipitate, 

 which requires only to be washed and recrystallized from alcohol. 



The foregoing equations give a pretty clear idea of the qualitative and 

 quantitative nature of the experiment, but they do not afford us an insight 

 into the true mechanism of the reaction. This, nevertheless, is a very 

 simple one. Trichloride of phosphorus acts water-generating and water- 

 withdrawing. The oxygen required for this purpose is supplied by the 

 phenylacetaraide ; as, however, the molecule of this compound contains 

 but one atom of hydrogen belonging to the original ammonia skeleton, a 

 molecule of aniline is required in addition to supply the second atom of 

 hydrogen. In this manner a diamine is formed, in which two atoms of the 

 hydrogen of the double ammonia type are replaced by two univalent phe- 

 nyl-residues, and three of the remaining hydrogen atoms by the trivalent 

 group Hg, to which the term ethenyl* may for the present be applied. 



The new body would thus become ethenyldiphenyldiamine^ the forma- 

 tion of which in the most simple form would depend upon the removal of 

 1 mol. of water from I mol. of phenylacetamide and I mol. of aniline. 



CeH, In+ H^N=J^|o+(C.H,), N,. 



I was anxious to test this assumption by experiment. 



* The term ethenyl proposed for the group H3, which in the new compound functions 

 with the value of 3 atoms of hydrogen, is framed according to a system of nomenclature 

 to which I have occasionally resorted, in the houndless confusion of names now prevail- 

 ing in organic chemistry, as a means of communication with my pupils. Perhaps this 

 system is capahle of further development. 



It is a peculiar feature of the development of modern chemistry that more than ever 

 before is felt the necessity of grouping the organic compounds round the hydrocar- 

 bons. The question therefore may he said to reduce itself to the discovery of a good 

 principle of nomenclature for the compounds of hydrogen and carbon. Many attempts 

 have been made in this direction, as vet without any acceptahle results. 



For the purpose of framing my names T fuse the method oiiginally employed by 

 Laurent with the principle proposed by Gerhardt, and more or less adopted by his 

 successors. 



An example will illustrate ray mode of proceeding. Let us consider the most import- 

 ant of all the series of hydrocarbons, the homologues of marsh-gas. All the members of 

 this series I make terminate in ane, distinguishing the order of succession by prefixing the 

 first syllable of the Latin numeral corresponding to the number of carbon atoms in 

 the molecule. From this rule the first three members of the series are conveniently 

 excepted, their names having been so long in use as to render it desirable to embody 

 them in the system. 



By the removal of 1 atom of hydrogen from the hydrocarbon, the latter ceases to 

 be a saturated compound, and the remaining group of atoms becomes univalent. The 

 termination yl now takes the place of ane. A second atom of hydrogen is removed, 

 the group becomes bivalent and now teiminates in me; a third hydrogen atom is sepa- 

 rated, the group is again raised in value by one becoming in fact trivalent, and acquires 

 the termination enyl. By the removal of the fourth and fifth atom of hydrogen the 



VOL. XV. F 



