stokes] HIGHER METAPHOSPHIMIC ACIDS. 153 
salt of the diamide of trimetaphospbiraic acid, from which the clilorine 
may be removed by neutralizing with nitric acid and adding the calcu- 
lated amount of silver nitrate. From the nitrate an amorphous silver 
salt may be precipitated which gave the ratio P : N : Ag = 3 : 4.88 : 3.51. 
If P3X3CI,;, P 4 N 4 C1 8 , or P5N5CI10 in ethereal solution is shaken with 
ammonia of sp. gr. 90, a strong reaction occurs at first, whereby a por- 
tion of the chlorine is replaced. On shaking two or three hours, the 
remainder is removed. The excess of ammonia was removed from the 
aqueous solution by blowing air through and the chlorine precipitated 
by the theoretical amount of silver nitrate. The ammonium salts of 
the amides thus obtained were thrown down by alcohol as sirups 
which can not be hardened under absolute alcohol. If these solutions 
are precipitated by silver nitrate, after adding a little ammonia, amor- 
phous white precipitates of the amido silver salts are obtained, which 
do not show a constant composition. Analysis gave the following 
atomic ratios : 
Amide from P 3 N 3 C1 — P : N 
Amide from P 4 N 4 C1 8 — P : N 
Amide from p 5 N fi Cli — P : N 
From these figures it appears that the amides are of very varying 
composition. As they are amorphous and very unstable, it is unlikely 
that any definite bodies can be obtained in this way. The silver salts 
are turned yellow by potassium hydroxide, a portion of the amide 
going into solution and a salt with a higher proportion of silver being 
formed. 
1 :i 
Ag = \ 3 
: 5.80 
:2.20 
: 5.96 
: 3.36 
: 6.54 
: 3.08 
Ao--! 4 
: 8.80 
:4.82 
A S-'(4 
:9.28 
:4.03 
Ag=5: 
10.16 : 
: 2.64 
