464 
DE. A. AV. HOFMAXN" OX THE PHOSPHOEES-BASES. 
The following are the details of QuI^*TIXO Sella’s measurements 
“ System monometric : — 
Forms observed : — 
111 (Fig. 40). 
Angles. 
Calculated. 
Observed. 
Ill, llT 
= 70 32 
0 1 
70 7 
111, T 1 T 
= 70 32 
70 33 
1 1 1, T 1 1 
= 70 32 
70 16 
111, 111 
= 70 32 
71 4 
111, III 
= 109 28 
109 32 
Til, 111 
= 109 28 
109 44 
Tig. 40. 
The octohedra are generally very minute. The crystals have no sensible influence 
on polarized light. Colour orange.” 
Gold-salt. — Golden-yellow needles, sparingly soluble in cold, readily in boiling water ; 
in a quantity of boiling water not suflicient to dissolve them, they fuse to a trauspai'ent 
yellow oil. Not decomposed by recrystallization. Precipitated by tiichloride of gold 
from a moderately concentrated solution of the chloride. 
0-630 grm. of gold-salt, precipitated with hydro sulphuric acid, &:c., gave 0-2475 grm. 
of gold. 
The formula 
Cg H 20 O P All Cl, = [(C, U, O) (C, HJg P] Cl, All CI 3 
requires the following values : — 
Tlieorv. 
r 
A 
A 
1 equiv. of Fhosphonium 
. 163 
32-48 
4 equivs. of Chlorine . . 
. 142 
28-28 
1 equiv. of Gold . . 
. 197 
39-24 
1 equiv. of Gold-salt . 
. 502 
100-00 
Experiment. 
59-2S 
I have already alluded to the decomposition which the chloride of the oxethylatod 
phosphonium undergoes under the influence of pentabromidc of phosphorus. The two 
bodies act upon one another with great violence ; oxybromide of phosphorus and hydro- 
bromic acid are evolved, and the residue is found to contain the chloride of the broni- 
ethylated phosphonium from which the oxcthylated compound ivas originally produced. 
[(C, I-I, O) (C, II ,)3 P] Cl + p Bi-s = P O Bi '3 + H Bi- + [(C, H, Br) (C, P] Cl. 
Nothing is easier than to obtain experimental proof of this transformation, which is 
of considerable theoretical interest. After the oxybromide and the excess of pentabro- 
mide have been removed as completely as possible by evaporation, the remaining liquid 
yields, on addition of dicliloride of platinum, a sparingly soluble, still impure platinum- 
salt, which, after washing, may be decomposed by sulphuretted hydi'ogeii and thereby 
