Amines, Acid Amides, Imides and Nitriles

The literature on these subjects is very scarce. Little is known regarding the electrolysis of amines, whose anodic behavior would probably be very interesting. They are stable at the cathode, and can be obtained electrolytically by reduction of the nitriles. Weems3 has electrolyzed acid amides in the form of their sodium or mercury compounds. He obtained only the unchanged material used as the starting-point. 

Tetramethylammonium Hydrate.—Palmaer 4 electrolyzed a solution of the hydrate in liquid ammonia in a Dewar vessel at about — 41°. Deep-blue rings having the color of a solution of sodium in liquid ammonia appeared at the cathode when the circuit was closed. A solution of free tetramethylammonium is probably formed, which could not be isolated. The chloride behaves like tetramethylammonium hydrate. 

Tetraethylamm onium Chloride.—Goecke 6 has investigated the behavior of the iodide of this compound in aqueous solution. He found at the anode tetraethylammonium triiodide  

The yield was u t uf thr material used as t u starting-point. A HuF iodufurm 3n also prod wed, by the art inn of iodine on portiuijM of the original iodide destroyed by oxidation. 

Sucdnimide. Tabd and Stern,1 by reduction of tins sub-stanrr in a dir sulphuric m id, obtained about (HTb of a yield of pyrroiidntie. TTio fluid was kept (add and electrolysed at igh current densities  

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