41 
of Edinburgh, Session 1880-81, 
nitrogen is replaced by phosphorus, and may be called a salt either 
of phosphorus-betaine or of trimethyl-phosphorus-betaine. In the 
paper before alluded to by Professor Crum Brown and the author, 
the opinion was expressed that the compounds of thetine would pro- 
bably show greater analogies with these bodies than with the com- 
pounds of betaine itself. 
The author’s experiments were undertaken with the view of 
testing the correctness of this opinion. 
As the phosphorus betaines had only been subjected to a cursory 
examination by Hofmann and Meyer, it was deemed essential, in 
the first place, to prepare them in the pure state and in large 
quantities, and to determine their chief properties. This has been 
done, but has necessitated a large expenditure of time, owing to the 
difficulties experienced in preparing the material necessary for the 
research. The author’s first experiments were made in the methyl 
series, but, owing to the difficulty he experienced in preparing the 
necessary trimethyl-phosphine, it was decided to operate in the 
ethyl series. 
The triethyl-phosphine was prepared by Hofmann and Cahours’ 
method, viz., by treating zinc ethyl with terchloride of phosphorus. 
This method the author has found to give excellent results, and 
recommends it as far more certain than the later process which 
Hofmann discovered, viz., heating alcohol to 180° with phosphonium 
iodide. 
The earlier attempts which the author made to prepare the com- 
pounds of phosphorus betaine, were made with bromacetic acid and 
triethyl-phosphine, but without success. An interesting body was 
however obtained, which will be described in another communication. 
Action of Ghloracetic Acid on 'Triethyl-phosphine. — Triethyl- 
phosphine, when added cautiously to chloracetic acid, dissolves the 
latter, and on shaking the mixture a dense oily layer separates ; 
much heat is evolved, and it is necessary to cool the vessel in which 
the operation is conducted by immersion in cold water. If the 
experiment is properly conducted, the oily liquid solidifies in about 
an hour to a mass of colourless crystals. This is easily soluble in 
alcohol, but is precipitated in long colourless needles by the cautious 
addition of ether to the hot solution. 
VOL, XL 
