ON THE PHOSPHOEUS-BASES. 
598 
ments for cooling, a considerable quantity of the body will evaporate in the hydrogen 
and be lost, not to speak of the diffusion of the almost intolerable odour of the methyl- 
base in the atmosphere of the laboratory. 
Trimethylphosphine is a colourless, transparent, very mobile liquid of an indescribable 
odour, powerfully refracting light, lighter than water, in which menstruum it is insoluble. 
The boiling-point of the liquid lies between 40° and 42° C., which agrees with Paul 
Thenakd’s observations. Trimethylphosphine has even a more powerful attraction for 
oxygen than the corresponding ethyl-base. In contact with the air, it fumes and is apt 
to be inflamed. On distilling even the freshly prepared methyl-base, the neck of the 
retort becomes coated in the last stage of the operation with a network of beautiful 
crystals, perfectly similar to those which are observed with the ethyl-base. These 
crystals may be readily obtained in larger quantity by exposing the methyl-base to a 
slow current of dry atmospheric air. It is scarcely necessary to mention that these 
crystals are the binoxide of trimethylphosphine. 
In its deportment with chlorine, bromine, iodine, sulphur and selenium, and Anally 
with the acids, the methyl-base exactly imitates the ethylated body. The reactions are 
however more rapid and energetic. 
We have been satisfied to identify trimethylphosphine, prepared by means of zinc- 
methyl, by the analysis of a platinum-salt. 
Hydroclilorate of Trimethylphosphine and Bichlo^dde of Platinum. 
The solution of the methyl-base in hydrochloric acid, furnishes with bichloride of 
platinum, an orange-yellow, indistinctly crystalline precipitate, which, like the corre- 
sponding ethyl-compound, is readily decomposed by exposure to 100° C. For analysis 
it was dried in the exsiccator over sulphuric acid. It contains 
Cg Hg P, HCl, PtCl2=Me3 P, HCl, PtCl^. 
0'402I grm. of the platinum-salt gave 0T402 grm. of platinum. 
Theory. 
.A 
Experiment. 
1 equiv. of Trimethylphosphine 
76-0 
26-94 
I equiv. of Hydrochloric acid . 
36-5 
12-93 
2 equivs. of Chlorine .... 
71-0 
25-16 
I equiv. of Platinum .... 
98-7 
34-97 
1 equiv. of the Platinum-salt . 
282-2 
100-00 
34-86 
Iodide of Tetramethylphosphoniimi. 
The iodide is a white crystalline mass, obtained by the action of iodide of methyl 
upon an ethereal solution of triethylphosphine. This compound, which may be readily 
recrystallized from alcohol, is the finest product of the series. Freshly prepared, it 
exhibits the silvery lustre of sublimed naphthalin. In contact with the atmosphere it 
assumes a slightly reddish colour. 
