By C.L. BLOXAM.
The following experiments on this subject appear to possess some
interest at the present moment:
1. Nitro-glycerin was shaken with methylated alcohol, which dissolves
it readily, and the solution was mixed with an alcoholic solution of
KHS (prepared by dissolving KHO in methylated spirit, and saturating
with H_{2}S gas). Considerable rise of temperature took place, the
liquid became red, a large quantity of sulphur separated, and the
nitro-glycerin was entirely decomposed.
2. Nitro-glycerin was shaken with a strong aqueous solution of
commercial K_{2}S. The same changes were observed as in 1, but the
rise of temperature was not so great, and the liquid became opaque
very suddenly when the decomposition of the nitro-glycerin was
completed.
3. The ordinary yellow solution of ammonium sulphide used in the
laboratory had the same effect as the K_{2}S. In this case the mixture
was evaporated to dryness on the steam bath, when bubbles of gas were
evolved, due to the decomposition of the ammonium nitrite. The pasty
mass of sulphur was treated with alcohol, which extracted the
glycerin, subsequently recovered by evaporation. Another portion of
the mixture of nitro-glycerin with ammonium sulphide was treated with
excess of PbCO_{3} and a little lead acetate, filtered, and the ammonium
nitrite detected in the solution. These qualitative results would be
expressed by the equation--