44 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
Thus the hydrochlorate and hydrate decompose in the following- 
manner : — 
(1.) 2[(CH 3 ).-S_^ 00011 J =(CH 3 ) 3 SCl + S(CH 2 -COOH) 2 
(2.) (CH 3 )-sz£!- C00H = (CH 3 ) 3 SOH + co 2 
The author has investigated the action of heat on the compounds 
of triethyl-phosphorus-betaine to ascertain whether they would 
behave like the thetine compounds. 
Action of Heat on Ethyl-bromate of Triethyl-phosphorus-betaine. 
— The ethyl-bromate, when heated, fuses, effervesces, grows brown, 
and solidifies after some time. When this has occurred but little 
more gas is evolved. The solid product may be crystallised from 
chloroform, and its analysis shows that it is the bromide of 
triethyl-methyl-phosphonium(C 2 H 5 ) 3 (CH 3 )PBr. The chloroplatinate 
obtained from it by the action of oxide of silver, and then of 
chloride of platinum on the filtered solution, crystallises in very 
characteristic orange-coloured octohedra with truncated edges. 
The formula 
((C 2 H 5 ) 3 (CH 3 )PCl) 2 PtCl 4 
was verified by analysis. 
The gas evolved consists in large measure of carbonic anhydride. 
The ethyl-chlorate behaves, when heated, like the ethyl-bromate, 
yielding chloride of triethyl-metliyl-phosphonium. The author care- 
fully examined the gaseous products of the reaction, and found that 
they consisted mainly of carbonic anhydride and ethylene. The 
decomposition which the ethyl-chlorate suffers when heated, may be 
represented by the equation 
(C 2 H 5 ), 
-CEL 
Cl 
COO:C 2 H 5 _ |'~ 
; oh 3+co 2 + c 2 h 4 
and that of the ethyl-bromate in a similar manner. 
Action of Heat on Hydrochlorate of Triethyl-pliosphorus-betaine . — 
The action of heat on the hydrochlorate is much more definite than 
in the case of the bodies just mentioned. The hydrochlorate, when 
