1914-15.] The Keaction between Sodamide and Hydrogen. 137 
The last column but one gives the volumes of hydrogen which should 
be liberated on adding water. They are calculated from the loss of weight 
which occurs to the amide when it is heated in hydrogen, on the assumption 
that a loss of weight of 15 ‘02 grams will correspond to the evolution of 
a gram molecule of hydrogen. The last column but two gives the observed 
values. The agreement between the two series is in accord with the 
assumed reaction. 
It is notable that though the metallic amides have received considerable 
attention, no case of the conversion of a simple amide into a hydride has 
been noted. The amides and imide of lithium have been fully investigated 
by Dafert and Miklauz.^ The only reaction of any one ,of these sub- 
stances which resembles the present one, is that between lithium imide and 
hydrogen, at 450°. Trilithiurnamide is formed : — * 
2 H 2 4- 3Li2NH = 2Li3NH2 + NH 3 . 
The same observers state that the formation of tribariumamide occurs 
when hydrogen is passed over barium nitride. This reaction is always 
accompanied by an evolution of nitrogen, and they suggest that the pro- 
duction of this gas is due to conversion of the tribariumamide into barium 
hydride,! according to the equation 
Ba3(NH2)2 + H 2 = 3BaH2 + ^ 2 . 
Summary. 
When sodamide is heated in a stream of hydrogen at temperatures 
between 200° and 300°, partial formation of sodium hydride occurs, ammonia 
being evolved. The equation 
NaNH 2 -1- H 2 = NaH -1- NH3 
has been shown to hold. 
This conversion into a hydride has not been shown to occur in the 
case of any other simple metallic amide. 
* Dafert and Miklauz, Monatshefte, 1912, xxxiii, 66 . 
t Ihid.^ 1913, xxxiv, 1708. 
Heriot-Watt College, 
Edinburgh. 
{Issued separately April 27, 1915.) 
