62 



Dr. Hofmann on the Action of Monamines. [Mar. 22, 



amide^ to the action of a mixture of aniline and trichloride of phosphorus. 

 The result proved that the methenyl-compound can be thus prepared even 

 more easily than by means of chloroform. 



In conclusion, the relation must be mentioned which the compounds just 

 described bear to the base obtained by Professor Strecker t, when acting 

 with gaseous hydrochloric acid on acetamide. The body thus formed is 



C H N —(^2^3)'" 1 -^T 



and has been called acediamine, for which name, in accordance with the 

 proposed nomenclature, I would now substitute the term ethenyldiamine. 

 When compared with the analogous aniline-compound, the very slight 

 stability of acediamine, which splits up with the greatest facility into acetic 

 acid and ammonia, deserves to be noticed. 



A quint enyldiamine, corresponding to the quintenyldiphenyldiamine, has 

 not as yet been prepared. Methenyldiamine, on the other hand, is known, 

 although the compound which I have in view has scarcely been looked 

 upon as such. The body in question is no other than cyanide of ammo- 

 nium. 



Methenvldiamine (CH)"n Methenyl- (C H)"'"! 



(Cyanide of ammonium) g» J Shfe'" ^'^'h"'''/^"' 



The facility with which this substance decomposes is well known ; 

 amongst the products formic acid and ammonia are invariably found. 



It is further known that by heating ammonia with chloroform (trichlo- 

 ride of methenyl), cyanide of ammonium is formed, a reaction which is 

 perfectly similar to that by which the analogous phenyl-base was origi- 

 nally obtained in the corresponding experiment with aniline. 



In conclusion, I beg to thank Messrs. Tingle and Fischer for their valu- 

 able assistance during the performance of the experiments described. 



* On this occasion I prepared larger quantities of phenylformamide, which can 

 be produced much more easily by digesting formic ether with aniline than by the process 

 hitherto employed (distillation of oxalate of aniline). Phenylformamide has the remark- 

 able property (not as yet observed) of being precipitated from its aqueous solution as a 

 solid scarcely crystalline mass on addition of a strong solution of caustic soda. By 

 separating this compound from the liquid, and purifying it as far as possible by rapid 

 pressure between folds of bibulous paper, it was possible to make an analysis of it. 

 Its composition was found to be 



CHO] 

 C.HgNNaO^CeH,. U. 



Na J 



By the action of water upon it phenylformamide and hydrate of sodium are repro- 

 duced. 



t Ann. Chem. Pharm., vol. ciii. p. 321. 



