724 
ME. P. G-KIESS ON A NEW SEEIES OF BODIES IN 
become quite cold. It is easy to separate these two bodies by filtering off the acid 
mother-liquor, pressing the residue between bibulous paper, and repeatedly extracting 
with dilute alcohol, which takes up the crystalline substance and leaves the brown 
body undissolved : this latter being very probably identical with the brown compound 
obtained as a by-product in the formation of nitrate of tetrazobenzidol, and being 
moreover of a very unpromising nature, I have not pursued its study any further. The 
crystalline product of decomposition dissolved by the alcohol is obtained on evaporation 
as a yellowish crystalline mass, from which the least traces of the brown body are removed 
by repeatedly dissolving in ether, and lastly recrystallizing from dilute alcohol. 
0-3037 grm. of substance gave 0-8603 grm. of carbonic acid and 0-154 grm. of water. 
Qualitative tests showed the absence of nitrogen ; these numbers correspond therefore 
with the formula G 12 H 10 0 2 , as will be seen from the following calculations : — 
Theory. 
A 
Experiment. 
012 
144 
77-42 
77-26 
H 10 
10 
5-38 
5-63 
0 2 
32 
17-20 
— 
186 
100-00 
The formation of this compound, for which I propose the name of diphenyl-alcohol 
or diphenylic acid, takes place according to the equation 
G 12 H 6 N 4 , 2NH0 3 + 2H 2 0 = G 12 H 1O 0 2 + 2NH0 3 + 4N. 
Nitrate of tetrazodiphenyl. Diphenyl-alcohol. 
Diphenyl-alcohol (diphenylic acid) crystallizes in small white, or slightly tinged plates 
or needles, which possess slight solubility in water, but are soluble to any extent in 
alcohol and ether. It fuses on heating, and can be sublimed in small quantities by 
heating it cautiously in a test-tube. It is thus obtained in the form of soft, white, 
very lustrous plates. The chemical deportment of diphenyl-alcohol shows it to be 
most closely allied to the class of compounds the best-known representative of which 
is phenylic alcohol. It may in fact be considered as the first biatomic representative 
of this peculiar group of chemical compounds. The new alcohol is readily soluble in 
potash, and can be reprecipitated by the addition of an acid. Concentrated ammonia 
also dissolves it. On heating an ammoniacal solution with basic acetate of lead, a white 
voluminous precipitate ensues. Heated with ordinary strong nitric acid it is changed 
into a nitro-acid, which crystallizes out in yellow roundish crystals ; the ammonium-salt 
of this acid crystallizes in beautiful long needles. 
Action of Alcohol ujpon Sulphate of Tetrazodiphenyl. 
On heating an admixture of alcohol and sulphate of tetrazodiphenyl, violent decom- 
position takes place. The products formed are nitrogen, sulphuric acid, and a solid sub- 
