Page:Experimental researches in chemistry and.djvu/64

1820] separating chlorine from the per chloride of carbon produces its decomposition, light occasions its reproduction.

It dissolves iodine very readily, and forms a brilliant red solution, similar in colour to that made by putting iodine into sulphuret of carbon or chloric æther. It does not exert any further action on iodine at common temperatures.

An electric spark passed through a mixture of the vapour of the chloride with hydrogen, does not cause any detonation; but when many are passed, the decomposition is gradually effected, and inuriatic acid is formed. When hydrogen and the vapour of the protochloride are passed through a red-hot tube, there is a complete decomposition effected, muriatic acid gas being formed, and charcoal deposited. The mixed vapour and gas burn with flame as they arrive in the hot part of the tube. The vapour of the protochloride detonates readily by the electric spark with a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases, and a complete decomposition is effected. It will not detonate with the vapour of water.

Sulphur and phosphorus both dissolve in it, but exert no decomposing action at temperatures at or below the boiling point of the chloride. The hot solution of sulphur becomes a solid crystalline mass by cooling. Phosphorus decomposes it at a red heat.

Its action on metals is very similar to that of the per chloride. When passed over them at a red heat, it forms chlorides, and liberates charcoal. Potassium does not act on it immediately at common temperatures; but, when heated in its vapour, burns brilliantly, and deposits charcoal.

When passed over heated metallic oxides, chlorides of the metals are formed, and carbonic oxide or carbonic acid, according to the state of oxidation of the metal. When its vapour is transmitted over heated lime, baryta, or strontia, the same brilliant combustion is produced as with the per chloride.

While engaged in analysing this chloride of carbon for the purpose of ascertaining the proportions of its elements, I endeavoured at first to find how much chlorine was liberated from a certain weight of per chloride during its conversion into protochloride, and for this purpose distilled the per chloride through red-hot tubes into solution of nitrate of silver, receiving the gas into tubes filled with and immersed in the same