( 188 ) 
owing to an incomplete investigation, he has found nothing special, 
two compounds have now been discovered in which NH, and H,0 
have united in the proportions of 1:1 and 2:1. * * 
This result is not without significance; for looking at the analogy 
between the ammonium salts and those of the alkalis could we 
expect that NH 4 might combine with the OH-group, and with oxygen 
in the same proportions as in the case of potassium, and if now, for 
the reasons stated above, we do not write the compounds found in 
the form of hydrates but in the form of ammonium salts, we obtain 
indeed NH 4 OH and (NH 4 ) f O, the first of which melts at — 77° and 
the second at — 78°. 
The communication of further details will be postponed till later 
on, but here it may yet be mentioned that, as was to be expected, 
at the water-side and at a low temperature, the investigation was 
much impeded by the great viscosity of the liquid, so that the eutecticum 
of H,0 and NH 4 OH could not be determined for the present. 
This investigation, continued in various directions is also being 
extended to amines. 
Amsterdam June 1909. 
Inorg. Chem. Lab. University . 
