Abstract
THE discovery of this remarkable compound of hydrogen and nitrogen by Prof. Curtius, in the chemical laboratory of the University of Kiel, formed one of the most interesting chemical events of last year. The extraordinary nature of the compound—manifested by its fearfully explosive properties, together with its acid character, by virtue of which it forms salts with metals containing only metal and nitrogen—mark out for it a place among the most attractive of hitherto discovered substances. It was first obtained by Prof. Curtius in the form of a gas, by treating with soda a compound containing the organic radicle benzoyl in the place of the hydrogen atom, and subsequently warming the sodium salt thus produced with dilute sulphuric acid. The gas was described as possessing a frightfully penetrating odour, and as being absorbed by water with extreme avidity, forming a solution of strongly acid properties, which liberates hydrogen in contact with metals. So great, indeed, is the affinity of azoimide for water, that in these earlier experiments it was not found possible to collect the gas in the anhydrous state. Shortly after the publication of his first communication (see NATURE, vol. xlii. p. 615), an improved method of preparing the solution in water was devised by Prof. Curtius. It consisted in distilling a soda solution of a derivative containing the radicle of hippuric acid with dilute sulphuric acid. He was thus enabled to obtain a tolerably large quantity of the aqueous acid. By successive fractionation of this solution in water, and finally distilling the last product of the fractionation over fused calcium chloride, pure azoimide itself was eventually isolated, and found to be a volatile liquid, boiling at 37°.
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TUTTON, A. Further Researches Upon Azoimide, N3H. Nature 45, 127–131 (1891). https://doi.org/10.1038/045127b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/045127b0