508 



Dr. H. E. Armstrong on 



[June 16, 



rose, however, rapidly, and but a small quantity had passed over under 

 130° C. The portion boiling from 130° upwards consisted entirely of py- 

 rosulphuric chloride. 



The more volatile portion was now treated with ice-cold water, in order 

 to free it as much as possible from pyrosulphuric chloride, quickly sepa- 

 rated from the water, dried over calcic chloride, and distilled, when it was 

 found to boil between 100° and 140°. With the small quantity at my dis- 

 posal (at the most 5 grm.) it was impossible to attempt to purify it by rec- 

 tification ; I therefore, as I suspected it to be trichloracetylic chloride 

 (chloraldehyde), attempted to convert it into the corresponding ether ; but 

 unfortunately, through an accident, lost it all in so doing. 



The following are the observed properties of the above product : — In 

 contact with water it became gradually decomposed, hydric chloride being 

 formed ; it acted very violently on alcohol, also on aqueous ammonia, and 

 the solution here obtained yielded on evaporation long prismatic needles of 

 ammonic trichloracetate (?). 



Had tbe reaction taken a normal course, the formation of chloraldehyde 

 was to be expected, according to the equation, — 



C 2 C1 6 + 2S0 3 = C 2 C1 4 0 + S 2 0 5 C1 2 . 



The properties of the substance obtained also agree in so far with those 

 given for chloraldehyde, and I have therefore little doubt but that it has 

 really resulted ; the yield is, however, very small, in consequence of 

 secondary reactions taking place. 



Unfortunately I am not in possession of the necessary material to repeat 

 the experiment and place its formation beyond all doubt. 



Thus far have I studied the substitution of Cl 2 by O up to the present 

 moment, but I intend prosecuting my researches in this direction, which 

 seems to me to present a number of interesting points. It is a question 

 whether the compounds C 2 C1 4 and C 2 HC1 3 , isologous with CCl 4 and CHC1 3 , 

 will give rise to C 2 0C1 2 and C 2 0, isologous respectively with COCl 2 and 

 CO ; the formation of such bodies, and of acids of the general formula 

 { COHO 



\ C n , seems theoretically neither impossible nor improbable. 

 [ COHO 



Will the action on chlorpicrin be analogous with that on carbonic tetra- 

 chloride or on chloroform ? 



The production of a silicic oxychloride from silicic chloride by the same 

 means is also to be expected. 



Action of Sulphuric Anhydride on Carbonic Disulphide. 



The extraordinary mobility of the one oxygen atom in sulphuric anhy- 

 dride, evident in all the preceding experiments, gave rise to the hope that 

 in sulphur compounds a substitution of sulphur by oxygen might be rea- 

 lized, and thus the interesting gas carbonic oxysulphide be directly obtain- 

 able from carbonic disulphide. 



