ACTION OF METALLIC MAGNESIUM UPON AQUEOUS 
SOLUTIONS. 
BY LOUIS KxAIILENBERG. 
It has long been known that metallic magnesium acts ex¬ 
tremely slowly upon distilled water, and that it practically does 
not act at all upon solutions of the caustic alkalies. In 1899 
Tbmmasi 1 made qualitative investigations of the action of 
magnesium on aqueous solutions of the following salts : KC1, 
HH 4 C1, CaCl 2 , MgOL, Had, Lid, BaCl 2 , SrCl 2 , Oud 2 , 
Odd 2 , PbCl 2 , HgCl 2 , Feds,. CrCl 3 , Ptd 4 , AuC 1 3 , CuS0 4 , 
ZnS0 4 , FeS0 4 , MnSO' 4 . He found that from solutions of 
Had, Kd, and LiGl magnesium liberates hydrogen more rap¬ 
idly than from pure water, magnesium hydroxide being formed. 
Solutions of the chlorides of barium, strontium and calcium 
were acted upon but feebly by magnesium, but amjmonium chlo¬ 
ride solution was attacked at a lively rate. From solutions of 
the salts of the heavy metals mentioned above, hydrogen was 
liberated by magnesium, the chloride or sulphate of that metal 
being formed, and a basic salt or hydroxide of the heavy metal, 
or the latter in the metallic state, being precipitated. Ho theo¬ 
retical explanations were attempted. In the same! year Gr. Le- 
moine 2 called particular attention to the action of magnesium 
upon aqueous solutions of magnesium salts. He used solutions 
of the nitrate, chloride, sulphate and acetate of magnesium, 
but worked especially with the last three salts. From aqueous 
solutions of these salts magnesium liberates hydrogen rapidly 
and continuously. Hsing magnesium in formi of powder, he 
found that about 0.4 the calculated amount of hydrogen was 
iBull. Soc. Chim. (3) 21, 885-887, 1899. 
2Comptes rend. 29, 291, 1899. 
