DE. A. W. HOFMANN ON THE PHOSPHOEHS-BASES. 
487 
the latter may undergo, at a high temperature, a further transformation, separating, 
partially at least, into water and hydrate of vinyl-triethylphosphonium. 
[(C, H, O) (C, H,), ]^| Q ^ H| Q ^ [(C, H3) (C, H,)3 P]|q^ 
the \inyl-compound yielding, in the last stage of the reaction, oxide of triethylphosphine 
and ethylene. 
[(C2H3)(C2H,)3P] 
H 
}o = (C2H5)3PO + C2H4. 
The separation of the triethylphosphine and its oxide by the action of heat upon the 
hydi'ated diphosphonium requires no special experimental demonstration. To indivi- 
dualize the other compounds, the following experiments were made : — A considerable 
quantity of the dihydrate was evaporated in a retort in an atmosphere of hydrogen. 
As soon as the phosphorus-base began to distil freely — at about 190° C. — the operation 
was interrupted, and the residuary alkaline liquid saturated with hydrochloric acid and 
precipitated with dichloride of platinum. A dingy yellow amorphous precipitate was 
thrown down, insoluble in cold water, and the mother-liquor, on evaporation, furnished 
a mass of deep orange-red octohedra, which were transformed into the corresponding 
iodine-compound. The salt thus obtamed proved unmistakeably a mixture of two 
compounds of different solubility. The less soluble was obtained in beautiful crystals, 
exhibiting all the characters of iodide of tetrethylphosphonium. The salt was identified 
by analysis. 
I. 0-7480 grm. of iodide gave 0-6360 grm. of iodide of silver. 
II. 0-3215 grm. of iodide, once more recrystallized, gave 0-2760 grm. of iodide of silver. 
Theory of the iodide of 
Experiment. 
Oxethylated triethyl- Vinyl-triethyl- 
Tetrethyl- 
r 
phosphonium. phosphonium. 
phosphonium. 
I. 
Iodine . . 43-80 46-69 
46-35 
45-94 
The platinum-salt corresponding to the difficultly soluble iodide gave, on analysis, the 
following results : — 
I. 0-4727 grm. of platinum-salt gave 0-4723 grm. of carbonic acid and 0-2470 grm. 
of water. 
II. 0-4478 grm. of platinum-salt gave 0-4442 grm. of carbonic acid and 0-2305 grm. 
of water. 
III. 0-5430 grm. of platinum-salt, treated with sulphuretted hydrogen, &c., gave 
0-1510 grm. of platinum. 
IV. 0-4097 grm. of platinum-salt gave 0-1145 grm. of platinum. 
V. 0-6140 grm. of platinum-salt gave 0-1728 grm. of platinum. 
I place the percentages deduced from these analyses in juxtaposition with the theo- 
retical values corresponding to the platinum-salts of vinyl-triethyl- and tetrethyl-phos- 
phonium. 
