1870.] 



Acids of the Sulphur Series. 



509 



According to Genther *, carbonic disulphide and sulphuric anhydride are 

 without action on one another, a simple solution of the anhydride taking 

 place. Notwithstanding this I thought it advisable to repeat the experi- 

 ment, and have by so doing found that a reaction does take place exactly 

 in the sense I had expected. 



If equivalents of the two are mixed together, action sets in, even at com- 

 mon temperatures, after a short time, but at once on warming the mixture, 

 and is accompanied by a continuous evolution of gas, which, by alternate 

 heating or cooling, can be regulated at will. 



The escaping gas was first passed through a wash-bottle containing 

 water, and then, to free it from carbonic-disulphide vapour, through tubes 

 filled with pieces of unvulcanized caoutchouc placed in a freezing-mixture 

 of ice and salt f, and, finally, to remove the last traces of sulphurous an- 

 hydride, over plumbic peroxide. Thus purified, it possessed all the pro- 

 perties described by Than $ and others as characteristic of carbonic oxy- 

 sulphide, and its identity therewith was further proved by a gasometric 

 analysis, which gave the following data : — 



Vol. at 0° C. 



Yol. Pressure. Temp. C. and 1 min. 



press. 



Gas employed, dry 92-1 -2551 13*8 22*33 



After addition of oxygen 2907 '4566 13*8 126-35 



After explosion 276*9 '4377 13*8 115-40 



Gas employed 22-33 



Contraction observed .... 10*95 



A contraction to one-half the original volume is required on the assump- 

 tion that 1 vol. COS + 3 vol. 0 = 1 vol. C0 2 + 1 vol. S0 2 ; and this, as is 

 evident, is nearly the case. 



Amnionic sulphocarbamate, formed by the direct union of carbonic oxy- 

 sulphide with ammonia, and first described by Berthelot, I found to be 

 produced in quantity on passing the gas and ammonia together into abso- 

 lute alcohol, it separating out from the concentrated solution, on standing, 

 in long prismatic needles. 



Than, by decomposing carbonic oxysulphide over mercury in the one 

 limb of a V tube provided with platinum wires, found that a separation 

 into an equal volume of carbonic oxide and sulphur, which appears as a 

 thick cloud on the tube every time on passing the spark, took place. 

 On repeating his experiment with my gas, I found exactly the same to be 

 the case. 



The residue in the flask, after the evolution of gas had ceased, was ob- 

 tained, after washing with water, as a yellow friable mass, consisting en- 

 tirely of sulphur. 



* Jahresbericht ; J. Chemie. 1858, p. 85. 



t Bender's modification of Thau's original plan, Ann. Ch. Pharm. 

 J Ann. Ch. Pharm. Supp. Band y, p. 230. 

 VOL. XVIII. 2 Q 



