MR. DANSON ON BJSULPHAMYLIC By JOSEPHDANSON$ F.C.S. Owing to the interesting results which have been obtained by Dr. Muspratt* and Mr. Medlockf with regard to the acids resulting froni the action of nitric acid on the sulphocyanides of ethyl niethyl and amyl and those of ErdmannJ Ge-rathewoh15 and Koppll upon acids produced by the action of nitric acid on the bisulphides of the above organic radicals I have been induced to enter upon the subject with the view of closing the gap which Dr. Muspratt left open in his last paper,S( i. e. proving by analysis the identity of the acid produced by the action of nitric acid on the bisulphide of aniyl with that obtained by Mr. Medlock from the sulphocyanide of arnyl. Gerathewohl and Erdmann give for the formula of the baryta-salt of their acid Ba.C, HI S 0,. HO=Ba. C, H, S 0 differing from Mr. Medlock’s formula Ba. C, Hll S 0 by 1 equivalent of hydrogen. PREPARATION OF BISULPHIDE OF AMYL The preparation of the bisulphide of arnyl is analogous to that of the 1)isulphides of ethyl and methyl. One part of dry sulphamylate of lime intimately mixed with one part of bisulpbide of potassium was introduced into a retort capable of containing three times the quantity of mixture. On the application of heat some water and a small quantity of a colourless oil distilled ;and as the temperature in- creased a reddish-yellow oil passed over possessing a strong odour of garlic. The impure oil was washed with distilled water and after- wards digested with chloride of calcium in order to remove the last * Chem.SOC. QU. J. I 44. $ Chem. SOC. Qu. J. I 368. 2 J. Pr. Chem. XXXIV 447. 8 Lduig’s Chemie der organischen Verbindungen 11 487. 11 Ann. Chem. Phaim. LV 166. 7 On the identity of bisulphethylic with hyposulphethylie acid and of bisulphime-thylic nith hyposulphamethylic acid. Chem. SOC Qu. J. 111 19. AND HYPOSULPHAMYLJC ACIDS traces of moisture. The anhydrous oil was separated from the chlo- ride of calcium by distilling the mixture in a small retort; the pure bisulphide of amyl passed over as a yellow oil. PREPARATION OF THE ACID FROM BISULPHIDE OP AMYL One part of the bisulphide of amyl was placed in a flask immersed in water; one part of nitric acid was added cautiously to it and agitated occasionally.Under these circumstances the action goes on very slowly ;but if the temperature is slightly increased the action is very violent nitrogen binoxide of nitrogen nitrous acid and peroxide of nitrogen passing off. The following equation represents the decomposition Bisulphide of amyl Hyposulphamylic acid. When the disengagement of gas had ceased the liquid which was of a green colour was carefully evaporated over a water-bath till the last trace of nitric acid was expelled a reildish oily fluid re- maining possessing a most peculiar odour and a strong acid taste. In order to obtain the acid in a state of perfect purity the fluid was treated with water in which it readily dissolved and saturated with carefully prepared carbonate of lead-filtered-and the lead solution decomposed by sulphide of hydrogen ;the sulphide of lead was then separated and the filtrate evaporated on a water-bath to expel all the sulphide of hydrogen.A colourless oily liquid remained which is the pure hyposulphamylic acid; The formula resulting from the analysis of the baryta-salt is The salts of this acid possess great similarity to those of hypo-sulphethylic acid and like thcrn readily crystallize. The potash ammonia and lirne-salts crystdlize in colourless plates easily soluble in water and alcohol. The only sa!t which I thought necessary to analyse was the baryta-salt. HYPOSULPHAMYLATE OF BARYTA. When an aqueous solution of the acid is saturated with carbonate of baryta and then evaporated gently on a water-bath pearly scales are deposited which are very soluble in xater and alcohol.160 MR. DANSON ON BISULPHAMYLIC ANALYSIS OF THE SALT. I. 0*3800grms. of salt dried at loooC. gave 0.3860 , of carbonic acid and 0-1760of water. TI 0.1643 , of salt gave 0.0863 grms. of sulphate of baryta = 0.0566 , of baryta = 3444per cent. CENTESIMALLY REPRESEN TED. Found. Analysis of the baryta- Analysis of the ba-salt of the acid produced ryta-salt of theacid from the sulphocyanide produced from the of amyl by the action bisulphide of amyl of nitric acid. by the action of nitric acid. Theory. M ed 1o ck. 1)a11 s on. 10 eqs. Carbon 60 27.33 27.46 2‘9.36 11 , Hydrogen 11 5.01 5.22 5-14 2 , Sulphur 32 14.58 5 , Oxygen 40 18.23 -1 eq Baryta 76.5 34-85 34.59 34-44 219.5 100*00 agreeing with the formula BaO.Clot IC, 8 0,. On comparing the above results we will find that there are good grounds for regarding the acid produced by the action of nitric acid on bisulphide of amyl as identical with that produced by the action of nitric acid on thc sulphocyanide of amyl. Gerathe-wohl’s formula for the baryta-salt yields theoretically Cia44 per cent of hydrogen while mine gives 5.01 per cent. Analysis gives 5.14 per cent. It is very remarkable that one out of the three analyses made by Gerat hewohl corresponds with mine an additional proof of the identity of the acids. In conclusion I will for the sake of com-parison give the amount of carbon hydrogen and barjta found in the analysis aborc referred to along vith MP.Mecllocli’s and niy own. &NI) HYP08ULPHBMYLIC ACIDS. 161 Carbon. I-Twhogen. Baigta. 27-36 5.14 34.4 Danson. 27-33 5.00 34.95 GerathewohI.