ORGANIC BODIES CONTAINING METALS. 
423 
but soluble in alcohol and ether. At about 150° C. it enters into ebullition, a quan- 
tity of metallic tin is deposited, and a colourless liquid distils over, having a peculiar 
odour, containing a considerable quantity of tin, and exhibiting no tendency to com- 
bine with iodine or bromine : the composition and properties of this liquid I have 
not further ascertained ; it possibly consists of or contains binethideof tin (Sn (C 4 H 5 ) 2 )- 
In contact with the air stanethylium rapidly attracts oxygen and is converted into a 
white powder, which has all the properties of oxide of stanethylium. Chloride, bro- 
mide and iodide of stanethylium are immediately formed by the action of chlorine, 
bromine and iodine, or their hydrogen acids respectively, upon stanethylium ; the 
first and third are in every respect identical with the salts above described. I have 
analytically examined the bromide prepared by adding an alcoholic solution of bro- 
mine to an alcoholic solution of stanethylium until the colour of the bromine no 
longer disappears ; by spontaneous evaporation the bromide of stanethylium is depo- 
sited in long white needles, which closely resemble, both in appearance and proper- 
ties, the chloride of stanethylium. These crystals, pressed between folds of bibulous 
paper, and dried over sulphuric acid in vacuo, gave the following analytical results ; — 
•9730 grm., burnt with oxide of copper, yielded ’5108 grm. carbonic acid and 
•2582 grm. water. 
These numbers agree very closely with the formula — 
C 4 H 5 Sn Br, 
as is seen from the following comparison : — 
Carbon . . 
Equivs. 
... 4 
24 
Calculated. 
14-30 
Found. 
14-32 
Hydrogen . 
... 5 
5 
2-98 
2-95 
Tin . . . 
... 1 
58-82 
35-05 
Bromine 
. . . 1 
80-00 
47-67 
167-82 
100-00 
These results show that stanethylium perfectly resembles cacodyl in its reactions, 
combining directly with the electro-negative elements and regenerating the com- 
pounds from which it has been derived. 
Examination of Gases. 
The examination of the gases evolved on opening the tubes in which iodide of 
ethyl and tin had been submitted to the action of heat, and which were allowed to 
stand over sulphuretted water for twelve hours, yielded the following results. Specific 
gravity : — 
Weight of flask filled with gas 35-4712 grms. 
Temperature of room 20 - 8 ° C. 
Height of barometer 761*2 mm. 
Height of internal column of mercuiy . . 15*2 mm. 
Temperature in balance case 22 °- 6 C. 
3 I 
MDCCCLH. 
