1815.] Philosophical Transactions, Part I, 1812. 59 



second. Thus, the first compound of iron and chlorine is called 

 ferrane ; the second, ferranca. 



In this valuable paper Mr. Davy gives an account of many 

 experiments which he n)ade to ascertain the properties and com- 

 position of the combinations of metals and chlorine. He has 

 added several experiments on the metallic oxides and suiphurets^ 

 to determine the proportion of their constituents with more 

 ^accuracy than had been hitherto done. 



1. Copper combines with two proportions of chlorine. Czt- 

 prane, the first of these compounds, may be obtained by heating 

 together two parts of corrosive sublimate, and one part of copper 

 filings. In this way it was made by Boyle, and called by him 

 cupreous resin, and compared to benzoin. Proust afterwards 

 described it u;ider the name of luhite muriate of copper. It 

 melts at a heat below redness ; in a close vessel is not decom- 

 posed nor sublim.ed by a strong red heat ; but in the oi>en air is 

 easily dissipated In dense white fumes. It is insoluble in water, 

 effervesces in nitric acid, dissolves in muriatic acid, from which 

 it is precipitated by water in the state of a white powder. 



Cupranea is slowly formed by heating cuprane in chlorine gas. 

 It is easily obtained by evaporating the deliquescent muriate of 

 copper to dryness, at the temperature of 400°. It is a yellow 

 powder, absorbs water from the air, and is converted into deli- 

 quescent muriate. It is decomposed by heat, and converted into 

 cuprane even when heated in chlorine gas. 



2. Tin, like copper, forms two compounds with chlorine; the 

 liquor of Libavius, one of these compounds, is directly formed 

 by burning the metal in chlorine gas. The other may be ob- 

 tained by heating together a mixture of amalgam of tin and 

 calomel ; or it may be obtained by evaporating muriate of tin to 

 dryness, and fusing the residue in a close vessel. 



Stannane, the last of these compounds, is of a grey colour, 

 and a resinous lustre and fracture. It melts at a heat rather 

 below redness. When heated with corrosive sublimate, nitre, 

 red oxide of mercury, or with hyperoxymuriate of potash, it is 

 changed into liquor of Libavius. it burns in chlorine gas, and 

 undergoes the same change. 



The properties of stannanea, or liquor of Libavius, have been 

 long known. Mr. Davy found that it acted violently on oil of 

 turpentine, and, in one instance, even set it on fire. 



3. Iron likewise combines in two proportions with chlorine. 

 One may be formed directly by burning iron wire in chlorine 

 gas. The other may be formed by heating to redness, in a glass 

 tube, the residue obtained by evaporating green muriate of iron 

 to dryness. It contains t}i€ smaller proportion of chlorine, an4 

 is therefore ferrane. 



