Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 104.djvu/572

502 compounds with the metals, and that iodine has a greater tendency than chlorine to form triple compounds with oxygene and the metals.

When in the case of the action of the chlorionic compound on fixed alkaline lixivia the chlorine is not in great excess, much iodine is always set free, because as it is easy to perceive from the proportions in which they combine, there is not sufficient oxygene detached from the alkali by chlorine to form the triple compound; and if the estimation of the composition of oxypotassame given in the first section be accurate, sup- posing that none of the double compound of iodine is formed, a solution must contain five proportions of chlorine to one of iodine, to produce a triple compound without the precipitation of iodine. It is however most probable that some double compound of iodine is always formed, as a solution must be extremely diluted indeed to contain five proportions of chlorine to one of iodine.

When the solution of chlorionic acid is poured into solution of muriate of baryta, water must be decomposed to furnish hydrogene to the muriatic acid, and oxygene to the triple compound, and in this case some double compound of iodine and barium must be formed and remain dissolved in the solution.

From the action of chlorionic acid on metallic solutions, I am inclined to believe that triple compounds of the common metals, oxygene and iodine may be formed by means of it. It occasions a copious precipitate without effervescence in the solution of sulphate of iron, and in the solutions of nitromuriate of lead, and tin, and of nitrate of copper, and from analogy it is probable that these precipitates consist of the metal, oxygene, and iodine.