372 
DR. A. W. HOFMANN’S RESEARCHES INTO THE 
Action of Iodide of Methyl upon Triethylamine. 
A mixture of triethylamine and iodide of methyl solidifies, after some time, to a 
crystalline mass, even at the common temperature. On ebullition the change takes 
place instantaneously. The crystalline compound thus produced may be viewed as 
the iodide of an organic metal, containing, together with nitrogen, one equivalent of 
methyl, and three of ethyl. 
In accordance with the nomenclature I have proposed for the preceding substance, 
this compound may be called iodide of methylotriethylamrnoniuin. And here is 
perhaps the place to ask for indulgence, for the sesqidpedalia verha, which I am 
using in the account of this investigation, and of which the worst, I fear, are still 
to come. However, the use of these barbarous names has the advantage of convey- 
ing an idea of the composition of the substances under examination in the shortest 
and most impressive manner. Moreover, none of these names are likely to remain in 
science ; all these substances, which are prepared solely for the elucidation of a prin- 
ciple, will be forgotten as soon as the object is gained ; they resemble paving-stones, 
each of which is very important in laying down a street, though no interest is at- 
tached to the blocks themselves, as soon as we are passing along the level road. 
Iodide of methylotriethylammonium has all the properties which I have enume- 
rated when speaking of the preceding compound. It is extremely soluble, forming 
a perfectly neutral, very bitter solution. On adding potassa to this solution, a heavy 
oily liquid is precipitated, which gradually solidifies. This is the unchanged iodide, 
which, like the corresponding tetrethylammoniurn-compound, is less soluble in alka- 
line solutions than in water. The iodide is readily decomposed by protoxide of silver, 
whereby the oxide is obtained in solution, which is caustic and bitter in the extreme. 
In vacuo it dries up to a crystalline compound, analogous to oxide of tetrethylammo- 
nium, the properties of which present the same difficulties to analysis. I have fixed 
the composition of this compound by the analysis of the beautiful platinum-precipi- 
tate, which is formed on adding the bichloride to a solution of the base saturated 
with hydrochloric acid. 
0‘3530 grm. of platinum-salt gave 0'1075 grm. of platinum. 
To the formula 
