ABSTRACTS OF THE PROCEEDING$ OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. No. 22. Session 1885-86. April 15th, 1886. Dr. Hugo Muller, F.R.S., President, in the Cha,ir. Mr. H. R. G. Bamber was formally admitted a Fellow of the ‘Society. Certificates were read for the first time in favour of Messrs. Edwin Jennings Ball, Ph.D., 15, Trafalgar Square: Chelsea, S.W. ; Parvathi Nath Datta, 5, West Newington Place, Edinburgh; Robert Elliot Doran, Bray, Co. Wicklow ; Richard Dormer, Garstan ; William Edward Dawson, Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa ; William Dobin- son Halliburton, 135, Gower Street, W.C. ; John Tysilis Johnson, Glyn Hof, Conway ; William Selby Simpson, 95, Darenth Road, Stamford Hill, N. ; Henry H. Walker, 35, St. Tham Road, Fnlham, S.W. The following were elected Yellows of the Society :--Messrs.E. E. Bnrnett; Cosmo J. Burton; Carl Bennert, Ph.I). ; Arthur W. Clayden ; Christopher Hodgson ; John W. King; Charles Kilpatrick; Arthur R. Ling; Henry 0. Mintz; Frank Morel; Robson Roose ; Richard L1. Whiteley. Mr. R. J. Friswell exhibited a very large specimen of metstolylene-ciiamine, C,H,Me (NH,),. The following papers were read :-41. “The Eurhodines, a New Class of Colonring Matters.” By Otto N. Witt, Ph.D. By acting with orthoamidoazo-compounds on a-naphthylamine hydrochloride, new dye-stuff s may be obtained, which have received 188 the name of Eurhodines. The typical eurhodine, prepared from amidoazotoluene and a-naphthylamine, ciytallises in orange needles. Its solution in ether is yellow, and shows a brilliant green fluores- cence, Its salts are of a scarlet colour.The formula of eurho- dine is Cl7HI3N3.By the action of acids it is transformed into eurhodol, CI7Hl2N20,whilst ethylic nitrite produces the ethylic ether of eurhodol, C17H1,N,0C2H,. Eurhodine is recognised as amido-naphthylenetoluquinoxaline. A large number of eurhodines may be obtained synthetically by the action of orthodiketones on triamines which have two of the amido-groups in the ortho-position. The sub- stance C,,,H,,N, formed by the action of phenanthraquinone on 1:2 :4 triamidobenzene has been examined and found to resemble closely the typical eurhodine. The joint oxidation of orthotoluylene- diamine and a-and &naphthol has been studied. &-Naphthol pro- d uces a blue dye beionging to the indophenol-group, while &naphthol gives rise to the formation of a new naphthylenetoluquinoxaline. As only two of these are capable of existence, the new compound must be the P-P-isomeride.42. " The Action of Sodium on Ethereal Salts of Phenylacetic Scid." Part 11. By W. R. Hodgkinson. In this communication the author principally draws attention to the solid substance produced in small quantity by the action of sodium on ethylic phenacetate (phenylacetate) to which reference was made in the previous paper (Trans., 1880, 480). The products of tlie reaction were stated to be ethylic acetate ; an oil to which the formula C18H2003was provisionally given; phenyl- acetic acid ; and the solid body in question.The reaction was repre- sented as occurring between 6 mols. phenacetate and 2 atoms of' sodium ; but it is difficult to dissolve so large a proportion of sodium without heating too strongly, and it is better to use 8 mols. phen-acetate to 2 atoms of sodium. On examining larger quantities of the oil to which the formula C,H2,,02was given, the author finds that it is not a uniform sub- stance : it decomposes into substances of high boiling point-water being given off-even when distilled under reduced pressure. If the crude product be hydrolysed by means of alcoholic potash, it yields phenacetic acid and a more stable oil ; this oil principally consists of a substance which boils at 320-3325', and has the composition of dibenzylketone : such a ketone would result from the hydrolysis of ethylic phenacetophenacetate, Ph*CH2*CO*CHPh*COOEt.The solid substance produced simultaneously with the oil is repre- sented by the formula C24H1,03, It is not an acid, although it is obtained in solution apparently in the form of a sodium-derivative on 189 heating the crude product of the action of sodium with water ; but it is easily precipitated from this solution even by absorption of atmo-spheric carbon dioxide. It is almost insoluble in water, and has no action on test-paper ; the aqueous solution, however, gives a deep-red coloration with ferric chloride. It dissolves in strong solutions of potassic carbonate without carbon dioxide being evolved, and also in dilute alcoholic potash ; it slowly dissolves in sulphuric acid, and is reprecipitated by water if the acid be not heated.Itl reacts with ammonia and with hydroxylamine. It is unaffected by heating with water at 210”. It is oxidised with difficulty, and yields a product which is not an acid. It melts at 175”; the fused substance solidifies to a glassy mass which softens at 100”and then assumes a crystalline state, and melts as before at 175”. The author is of opinion that this substance results from the occurrence of a reaction similar to that recently observed by Baeyer in the case of ethylic sodiomalonate, and that, in fact, it is a triphenyl-phloroghcin, (C6H,),C6H3o3,three molecules of ethylic sodium-phenacetate condensing to form triphenyltrisodiophloroglncin, three molecules of alcohol being eliminated.If sodium act at a temperature of 140-150” on an excess of ethylic phenacetate, ethylic phenacetophenylsodacetate is produced. The author has also examined the action of sodium on the ethylic salts of the toluic acids : the para- and meta-compounds appear to undergo a complex decomposition, but the ortho-compound yields ethylic acetate and a ketone, C14H100. 43. “ The Action of Metals on Acids.” By Henry E. Armstrong. Our knowledge of the nature of alloys is at present very limited : it is supposed that some metals are capable of combining, but that others form mere mixtures, when fused together-the alloy being, as it were, “a solidified solution of the one metal in the other.’’ This differentiation is based on the stndy of physical properties of alloys in comparison with those of the constituent metals.In certain cases- but these are very few in number-the actual composition of the compound may be deduced : thus in the case of the tin-copper alloys abrupt changes in electrical conductivity correspond to compounds of the formula SnCu4and SnCu3, and the curve of conductivity for the tin-gold alloys also exhibits a striking series of maxima and minima from which the existence of definite compouiids may be inferred. It appeared possible that, by dissolving alloys in a liquid capable of acting on both metals and determining the electromotive force between the alloy and a less positive metal, evidence of the existence of definite compounds might be obtained if the alloy dissolved as a whole.At 190 Dr. Armstrong’s suggestion, a number of determinations of this kind have been made by Messrs. Holland Crompton and W. E. Sumpner, students of the Central Institution, but the investigation is as yet far from being completed : they have measured the E.N.B. between the alloys and platinum in nitric acid by means of an electrometer. The general result is that the method is inapplicable since the alloys do not as a rule behave its wholes, The E.M.P. observed in several cases is very nearly that between the less posikive metal of the alloy and platinum, the more positive constituent dissolving independently and giving rise to a local circuit : thus in the case of copper-zine alloys the E.M.F.is very nearly tha@ of copper as long as the alloy contains not, much less than about 5 per cent. of copper; the tin-zinc and tin- copper alloys also have an E.M.F. near to that of the less positive metal until alloys are reached containing but a small proportion of this constituent. In mercury-zinc alloys the more positive metal determines the electromotive force ; this apparently is also true of the lead-tin alloys. Slight changes have been observed which, i€ confirmed by further experiments, are probably significant : thus in the tin-zinc alloys, the E.M.F. gradually rises from that of tin, as the amount of this metal in the alloy diminishes: it is conceivable that this may be because the zinc acts as a diluent and separates the more complex tin molecules into simpler more active molecules.On the other hand, the E.MJ. of copper in bronze is slightly loweT than that of pure copper, and tBat of copper in the copper-zinc alloys rich in zinc is also a little lower than that of pure copper ; this my be due to the loss of energy in the formation of the alloy. Dr. Armskrong then pointed out that although the method described was of little value, owing to the irregularity in the behaviour of alloys towards a solvent capable of attacking both metals, more was to be hoped from the employment of a, solvent capable of acting upon only one, recent experiments by Mr. Laurie having shown that the E.M.F. between zinc-copper alloys and cuprous iodide in a solution of iodine and zinc iodide is about that of zinc until the alloy has the composition Cu%n2, when the E.M.F. suddenly falls to very nearly that of copper.Sodium and potassium exhibit a much lower E.M.F. when alloyed with mercury, according to Hockin and Taylor, and it is probable that the examination of a graduated series of their amalgams will afford indications of the composition of the compounds. formed. The E.M.F. between a given metal and platinum in nitric acid varies with the concentration of the acid. The following results were obtained with copper :- 191 Acid of rel. den. 1.5 .......... E.M.F. 0.98 volt. 3 vols. 1.5 + 1vol. 1.42....... 0.84 ,,97 771vol. 1.5 + 1 ,, 1.42 ..,... 0.63 ,) 77 1.42 ......77 0.57 ), 971vol. 1.42 + 1 vol. water .... 0.75 ,) 7,1 97 3, +3 9, 97 *“* 0.81 ,) ,7 77 771, +7 9, >7 -... 0.81 ,, These results appear to be entirely confirmatory of the conclusions already arrived at by Acworth and Armstrong (Trans., 1877), who found that the reduction of nitric acid was carried further-as indi-cated by the amount of nitrous oxide and nitrogen produced-when copper is dissolved in highly diluted nitric acid. The high E.M.F. observed on using the most Concentrated acid is probably due to the fact that the initial product of reduction, nitrous acid, remains in solution. If the acid be less concentrated, the nitrous acid is more or less broken up (3HN02 = 2N0 + HNO, + H20). The consi- derable rise in E.M.F.as dilution proceeds not improbably arises from the complex molecules of nitric acid being in part resolved into simpler more active molecules. The results also illustrate the im- portance of supplementing the chemical method of examining com- plex cases of change such as are involved in the action of metals on nitric acid by the electrical method. No appreciable action takes place during the time requisite to measure E.M.F., and therefore the solution remains practically unchanged in composition, whereas it is continuously changing during the entire course of a chemical expe- riment. Referring to the action of metals generally on acids generally, Dr. Armstrong pointed out that it is probably impossible for the chemist to pronounce definitely in favour either of the modern view that the metal directly displaces the hydrogen of the acid, or of the older view that the metal displaces the hydrogen from water-the resulting oxide and the acid then interacting to form a salt; the decision of this question must apparently depend upon the determi- nation of the nature of the phenomena during electrolysis of an acid solution.If the acid alone be the electrolyte, then doubtless the modern view is the correct one;’ but if both water and acid are electrolysed, and in proportions which vary according to the condi- tions, then both the old and new view of the nature of the action between a metal and the solution of an acid are correct, and the two kinds of change may go on side by side.The view put forward by Dr. Divers that silver, copper and mercury exercise an altogether peculiar action on nitric acid, “decomposing the nitric acid into hgdrqxyl and nitroxyl, and combining with these radicles to form 192 hydroxide and nitrite, which, by secondary reactions, become water, nitrous acid, and metal nitrate,” does not appear to be compatible with the view that, the interaction of a metal and an acid is essen-tially a case of electrolysis, there being no reason to suppose that nitric acid can be electrolysed into hydroxyl and nitroxyl, it is not supported by the observations here described on the E.M.P. of copper in acids of various strengths, which show that more depends on the state of the acid than on the metal ; and, lastly, silver is incapable of acting on nitric acid, although it readily enters into interaction with the weaker electrolyte, nitrous acid.ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY, I. Donations. Final Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into Accidents in Mines, and the possible means of preventing their occurrence or limiting their disastrous consequences : Polio, London, 1886 : from the Commission. Atomic Valency : by S. U. Pickering : London, 1866 : (Pamphlet.) 11. By Pzwchase. Travaux et M6moires du Bureau International des Poids et Mesures : Tomes I11and IV, &o, Paris, 1884-5. A Manual of Practical Hygiene: by E. A. Parkes: Edited by F. S. B. F. de Chaumont : 6th edition: London, 1883. The Landmarks of Snake-poison Literature, being a Review of the more iniportant researches into the nature of Snake Poisons: by V. Richards : Calcutta, 1885. Gahrungs-Chemie fur Pratiker: by J. Bersch. V. Die Schnell- Essigfabrikation : Berlin, 1886. Neue Grundgesetze zur rationellen Physik uncl Chernie: von E. Diihring and U. Diihring : Zweite Folge : Leipzig, 1886. ____~-~ _._I_______ -~ YAHRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS IS ORDIEARY TO HEK XAJESTY, ST.XA3tTIN’S ZANB