98 HYDROCYANIC-ACID GAS FUMIGATION IN CALIFORNIA. 
effects produced by an acid of greater strength than this. With a 
more dilute acid than 1 to 1 the decomposing action on hydrocj^anic 
acid amounts to very little, as shown by experiments which are 
reported herein. 
ACTION OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID ON HYDROCYANIC ACID. 
According to the researches of Gautier x hydrocyanic acid com- 
bines directly and sometimes violently with hydrochloric acid, result- 
ing in bodies comparable with the ammonium salts or the amids. 
Gautier found that on passing dry hydrochloric-acid gas into dry 
hydrocyanic-acid gas, then heating to from 30° to 40°, sealed in glass 
vessels, and allowing to cool, a colorless crystalline substance sepa- 
rated. From the results of the analysis of this compound he con- 
cluded that the formula must be HCN,HC1. He found that this body 
was extremely hygroscopic and underwent partial dissociation, but 
decomposed mainly into ammonium chlorid and formic acid in the 
following manner : 
HCN,HC1 + 2H 2 = NH 3 C1 + HCOOH 
Several years later Claisen and Matthews 2 made a study of the 
action of hydrochloric acid on hydrocyanic acid, and by employing 
a different method also obtained a white crystalline compound, which 
conducted itself similarly to the compound obtained by Gautier, but 
on analysis the results did not agree with the formula HCX,HC1 as 
found by him. 
Claisen and Matthews, from their analytical results, ascribed to 
the compound the formula 2HCN,3HC1, and the following proper- 
ties: "A colorless crystalline mass, inodorous in dry, and ruining 
strongly in moist, air. It appears to be only slightly poisonous and 
on solution in water shows only traces of hydrocyanic acid, probably 
present as an impurity in the original compound. It is insoluble in 
ethylic, formic, or acetic ethers; soluble, but with decomposition, in 
water and alcohol. On exposure to air it is rapidly converted into 
ammonium chlorid and formic acid." In fact, it resembled physi- 
cally and gave exactly the same reactions as the compound obtained 
by Gautier. 
More recently Nef 3 has made an exhaustive study of the cyanogen 
compounds, including the action of hydrochloric acid on hydrocyanic 
acid. He arrived at the conclusion that these addition products are 
derivatives of imidoformylcyanid, 
f Comptes rendus, vol. 65, p. 410, 1867. 
J Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie, vol. 14,"). p. 118, 1868. 
lAnnales de chimie et de physique, ser. 4, vol. 17. p. 128, 1869. 
t „ | Jour. Chem. Soc. vol. 41, p. 264, 1882. 
[Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft. vol. 16, p. 30S, 1883. 
3 Liebig's Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie, vol. 287, pp. 265-359, 1895. 
