1887.] 



On Antimony Pentad dor ide. 



381 



CI 



CI 



Sb -j 



CI + H 2 = SbOCl 3 + 2HC1. 



CI 

 LCI 



We proceeded exactly as above described, and joined to our flask a 

 receiver containing a weighed quantity of water in which to collect 

 the liberated hydrochloric acid. To 21*5 grams of well-cooled anti- 

 mony pentachloride, which had been purified by distillation under 

 diminished pressure, we added drop by drop 1*2 gram, the calculated 

 amount, of water, and found to our surprise that no hydrochloric acid 

 was liberated ; also that the yellowish crystalline product was equal in 

 weight to the sum of the weights of the water and antimony penta- 

 chloride originally taken. 



The resulting product was only partly soluble in chloroform, and 

 was therefore a mixture of different substances. 



We therefore altered the conditions of the experiment. In order 

 to moderate the reaction we dissolved 20'4 grams of pure antimony 

 pentachloride in about the same volume of chloroform, and added 

 drop by drop to the cooled solution the calculated amount, 1*1 gram, 

 of water, shaking constantly. The formation of the new body was 

 soon apparent by the separation of almost colourless crystals ; the 

 yellow colour of the chloroform, caused by the antimony pentachloride 

 (which according to our experience is never colourless, but always a 

 bright yellow liquid), gradually disappeared, and at the end of the 

 reaction the crystals which had separated were covered by colourless 

 liquid. Under these changed conditions there was again no trace of 

 hydrochloric acid set free. We next heated our product nearly to the 

 boiling point of chloroform, adding sufficient dry chloroform to dis- 

 solve the crystals which had separated. From this solution a com- 

 pound was deposited in feathery crystals. After decanting the mother- 

 liquor, these were washed with a small quantity of chloroform, and 

 placed to dry in a vacuum desiccator on a porous plate that had been 

 previously heated. This body is so extraordinarily hygroscopic that 

 the analyses were not very easy ; however, the results leave no doubt 

 that SbCl 5 H 2 is the formula : — ■ 



3. 0-1467 



4. 0-3003 



5. 0-3104 



6. 0-2020 



7. 1-1387 



8. 1-3905 



1. 0*2719 gram substance gave 



0-6074 AgCl. 

 0-3270 AgCl. 

 0-3290 AgCl. 

 0-1461 Sb 2 4 . 

 0-1492 Sbg0 4 . 

 0-1061 Sb 2 S 3 . 



