108 
DR. A. W. HOFMANN’S RESEARCHES REGARDING THE 
action; lastly, in order to complete the investigation, I was obliged to leave the 
amidogen-bases altogether in order to submit the typical ammonia itself to examina- 
tion. 
Among the bases derived from aniline, there is a class whose deportment with 
bromide of ethyl appeared to be more partieularly worthy of a careful investigation. 
This is the group of compounds produced from aniline by substitution, and embracing 
chloraniline, dichloraniline and trichloraniline, the corresponding bromanilines, iodani- 
line and nitraniline. The question arose in what manner will these substances, in 
which the original aniline has lost already a certain quantity of its hydrogen, com- 
port themselves under the influence of bromide of ethyl? The answer afforded by ex- 
periment was unequivoeal and in perfect accordance with the result anticipated by 
theory, although it may here at once be stated, that the difficulty of obtaining the 
compounds in question in sufficient quantity has prevented me from pursuing this 
part of the investigation as far as I could have wished. 
Action op Bromide of Ethyl upon Chloraniline. 
A solution of chloraniline in dry bromide of ethyl exhibits no apparent change 
even after several days’ exposure to the temperature of boiling water. On adding 
however water and distilling off the excess of bromide of ethyl, it was found that the 
chloraniline had been converted into a hydrobromate, which was held in solution, 
scarcely a traee of uncombined base being left. Addition of potassa to the solution 
of the hydrobromate separated at once a yellow oily base, of a very characteristic 
aniseed-odour, differing from chloraniline in many respects. It remained liquid 
even at the temperature of a cold winter day, while chloraniline is distinguished by 
the facility with which it crystallizes. Its salts are much more soluble than the 
corresponding chloraniline-salts : I have only seen the sulphate and oxalate in a 
crystallized state. This liquid base is evidently ethylochloraniline — 
c4«-}n. 
I am sorry that I have not been able to verify this formula by direct analysis. The 
amount of substance at my disposal precluded the idea of submitting it to the pro- 
cesses of purification necessary before combustion. I had hoped to fix its composi- 
tion by the determination of the platinum in the platinum-salt. Unfortunately this 
salt separated in the form of a yellow oil, which could not by any means be made to 
crystallize. Obliged to desist from direct analysis, I endeavoured to gain the requisite 
data by another mode of proceeding. 
Action of Bromide of Ethyl upon Ethylochloraniline. 
Recollecting that in almost all the instances which I have examined, the tendency 
exhibited by the various bases of producing readily crystallizable platinum-salts 
increased with the degree of their ethylation, I subjected the whole amount of the 
