ON THE PHOSPHOEHS-BASES. 
577 
We have convinced ourselves that the product of the action of iodide of methyl upon 
phosphide of sodium consists chiefly of three different substances, viz. of a liquid which 
probably is Mca P, and corresponds to kakodyl ; of a second liquid, Mcj P, corresponding 
to trimethylstibine and trimethylarsine ; and lastly, of a beautiful crystalline solid body, 
Me 4 PI, which is the analogue in the phosphorus-series of iodide of tetramethylam- 
monium. 
We abstain from a minute description of the experiments made in this direction, 
since in the further course of the inquiry we have forsaken this method altogether. 
Indeed this mode of preparation is very uncertain, and the separation of the products 
formed is attended with almost insurmountable obstacles, not to speak of the difficulty 
of obtaining pure phosphide of sodium fit for the reaction. The question resolved itself 
into the discovery of a method which would yield us the desired substances con- 
veniently, without danger, in considerable quantity, and in a state of absolute purity. 
It appeared to us that the action of terchloride of phosphorus on zinc-methyl, zinc- 
ethyl, &c. would enable us to attain the desired result. Experiment has fully confirmed 
this anticipation. 
Dr. Feankland’s remarkable observations on the action of zinc upon iodide of methyl 
and iodide of ethyl at high temperatui’es are still fresh in the memory of chemists. 
Besides the hydi’ocarbons methyl and ethyl, zinc-methyl and zinc-ethyl are formed in 
this reaction, which exhibit the deportment of true organic metals, comparable in the 
intensity of their combining powers with the most electro-positive elements. In the 
action of a chloride upon such a compound metal, the chlorine was sure to seize upon 
the zinc, and it was extremely probable that, together with chloride of zinc, methyl- or 
ethyl-compounds would be formed in definite proportions. In the action of terchloride 
of phosphorus, the formation of a methyl- or ethyl-compound of phosphorus, correspond- 
ing in composition to the terchloride of phosphorus, might be with certainty expected : 
PCl3+3MeZn = 3ZnCl+Me3 P. 
These anticipations were in fact fulfilled. The products of these reactions, the bases 
Meg P and Eg P, which we propose to call respectively trimethylphosphine and triethyl- 
phosphine, remain united with chloride of zinc, and a simple distillation with an alkali 
alone is necessary to liberate them. 
3ZnCl, Me3P+6KO=3KCl+3(KO, ZnO)+PMe 3 
3ZnCl, E3P-1-6K0=3KC1+3(K0, ZnO)+PE 3 . 
They are obtained in this way as volatile oils, with a peculiar and strongly-marked 
odour, and possessing distinctly basic properties. 
We found no difficulty in procuring the bodies in question by this method in a state 
of perfect purity, so as to examine their properties with accuracy. 
From the outline which we intend to give, it will be obvious that this group of bodies 
exhibits the most striking analogies with the ammonia-bases ; so much so, in fact, that 
frequently it will only be necessary to repeat the observations, which were published 
