DE. E. FEAI^KLAND’S EESEAECHES ON OEGANO-METALLIC BODIES. 
403 
possessing a very faint ethereal odour, resembling that of the oxide of stanethyl, and a 
slight metallic, though not unpleasant taste. Its specific gravity is 1187 at 23° C. A 
determination of the specific gra\fity of its vapour by Gay-Lu8SAg’s method gave the 
following results : — 
Weight of stannic ethide . 
Observed volume of vapour . 
Temperature of oil-bath . 
Height of barometer 
•1127 grm. 
25 '0 cub. cent. 
193°-3 C. 
762 '0 mm. 
217’2 mm. 
275'0 mm, 
From these numbers the specific gravity of the vapour was calculated to be 8'021. The 
vapour of stannic ethide thus consists of one volume of tin vapour and four volumes of 
ethyl, the five volumes being condensed to two. 
Height of inner column of mercury 
Fleight of column of oil . 
1 vol. Tin vapour . . . , 4-05367 
4vols. Ethyl 4-00780. 
2 vols. Stannic ethide vapour = 8 -06 147 
Found . . 8-021 
Stannic ethide boils at 181° C., and distils unchanged, thus differing from stannous 
ethyl, which decomposes at 150° C., chiefly into metallic tin and stannic ethide, a 
reaction calling to mind the behaviour of stannous oxide when boiled with a caustic 
alkali. Stannic ethide is highly inflammable, burning with a lurid flame fringed with 
deep blue, and evolving white fumes of stannic oxide. In oxygen it burns much more 
brilliantly, with a red light fringed with blue. 
It was important to ascertain the deportment of stannic ethide with negative elements, 
since, if it were found to be capable of direct combination, its analogy to inorganic stan- 
nic compounds would be to a great extent di.sproved. Like zincethyl, however, stannic 
ethide is incapable of combining with any other element without the expulsion of at 
least an equivalent amount of the ethyl it contains. 
Treated with iodine, the latter dissolves with a deep red colour, which gradually dis- 
appears; and if the addition of iodine be continued until decoloration be no longer 
effected, the resulting liquid, on being submitted to distillation, is found to consist 
of iodide of ethyl, which distils over, and an iodine salt, possessing the insupport- 
ably pungent odour of one of the products of the action of tin upon iodide of ethyl 
at 160° C., and described by MM. Cahoues and Eiche as iodide of distannous ethyl. 
The iodine salt appears, in fact, to be either identical with this body, or 
to consist of stannic iodotriethide, (Sn 2 (C, H 5 ) 3 l)*. 
* ■Whilst engaged with these experiments, Mr. Btjckton announced the formation of stannic ethide 
(Proceedings of the Eoyal Society, vol. ix. p. 315), and at the same time mentioned his intention to study 
the salts formed by the action of iodine, bromine, &c. upon that body ; I have therefore not prosecuted tlie 
inquiry further in this direction. 
