586 
EESEAECHES OE DE. HOEMAA’X AXE M. CAHOUES 
evolution of gas has ceased, the distillation nearly stops, and commences again only 
when the temperature has reached 200°; a viscid, nearly inodorous liquid now distils 
over, the temperature slowly rising, until at about 240° a constant boiling-point is 
attained : what now distils, generally sohdifies to a radiated crystalline mass in the neck 
of the retort. On fusing this mass with a spirit-lamp, and collecting the liquid in a 
receiver, it frequently resolidifies instantaneously on cooling ; often, however, it remains 
liquid for months. This body is extremely dehquescent : a crystal exposed to the air 
only for a few seconds liquefies entirely. It is soluble in water in every proportion, 
also in alcohol, less so in ether. The aqueous solution is precipitated by potassa ; 
the dissolved body separates in this case in colourless oily drops, which remain liquid 
even after much concentration, and rapidly dissolve again on diluting the potassa solu- 
tion with a comparatively small quantity of water. Acids dissolve the oil likewise with 
facility. 
It is obvious at a glance, that the body in question is identical with the product 
formed by the action of air upon triethylphosphine. A careful comparison of the pro- 
perties of the two substances places their identity beyond any doubt. It is, moreover, 
easily proved that the body is a product of oxidation. On boiling triethylphosphine 
with moderately strong nitric acid, and adding potassa to the highly concenti-ated liquid, 
the characteristic oily drops are immediately separated, and disappear again upon addi- 
tion of water. At the common temperature, oxide of mercui’y is without action upon 
triethylphosphine, but on gently warming the mixture, a considerable evolution of heat 
takes place, metallic mercury is separated, and an oily substance produced which has 
all the characters of the new compound, and often sublimes in radiated crystals, coating 
the colder part of the vessel. With oxide of silver exactly the same phenomena are 
observed. On the other hand, the oily body, when submitted to the action of potassium, 
instantaneously reproduces triethylphosphine. 
It is difficult to obtain this body in a state fit for analysis. It is not afiected by solid 
hydrate of potassa, but on distilling the two substances together, the distillate is never- 
theless found to contain a certain amount of moisture, the hydrate of potassa losing a 
certain quantity of water at the temperature of distillation. If the crystalline mass be 
separated from the potassa before distillation, it attracts so much water dining manipu- 
lation, that even now it becomes but imperfectly crystalhne after distillation. Distilla- 
tion with anhydrous phosphoric acid furnishes the compound perfectly di-y and sohd ; 
unfortunately, however, a portion of the substance is thus decomposed ivith separation 
of free phosphorus which contaminates the distillate. Nor have we succeeded in imiting 
this substance to crystalline combinations ; nitrate of silver, bichloride of platmum, and 
several other reagents were tried in vain. 
It is obvious that the preparation of this body in a state of piuity is attended irith 
unusual difficulties. These difficulties might certainly have been surmounted, but we 
believe that the deportment of triethylphosphine ivith sulphur and selenium, which nfill 
be more minutely described hereafter, enables us to infer retrospectively the composition 
