Nitric oxide

“ Nitrogen peroxide is the most stable oxide of nitrogen. It is decomposed by water, giving at 0° C. a mixture of nitric and nitrous acids: 2NO2+H2O=HNO3+HNO2. It combines with sulphuric acid to form nitro-sulphonic acid, SO2 (OH) (NO2) . It does not support the combustion of a taper, but burning phosphorus and red-hot carbon will continue to burn in the gas. It converts many metallic oxides into mixtures of nitrates and nitrites, and attacks many metals, forming nitrates and being itself reduced to nitric oxide. It is an energetic oxidizing agent. ”

“ Nitrous oxide, or the, so called, laughing gas, which contains two volumes of nitrogen to one of oxygen, would prove more destructive than even pure oxygen, from the delirious intoxication which it produces.
Nitric oxide is composed, according to Davy, of two volumes of nitrogen and two of oxygen. It is of so irritating a nature, that the glottis contracts spasmodically when any attempt is made to breathe it; and the moment it escapes into the air it combines with more oxygen, and forms the deep red fumes of nitrous acid. ”

“ The nitric acid, after attaining a moderate strength, oxidizes the Fe^{++} ions to Fe^{+++} ions with the formation of an intermediate nitroso-compound similar in character to that formed in the "ring-test" for nitrates. The nitric oxide is driven out by heat, and the solution then shows by its color the presence of ferric compounds. A drop of the oxidized solution should be tested on a watch-glass with potassium ferricyanide, to insure a complete oxidation. This oxidation of the iron is necessary, since Fe^{++} ions are not completely precipitated by ammonia. ”

“ Nitric oxide, NO, first obtained by Van Helmont, is usually prepared by the action of dilute nitric acid (sp. gr. 1·2) on copper. This method does not give a pure gas, varying amounts of nitrous oxide and nitrogen being present (see Nitric Acid) . In a purer condition it may be obtained by the action of sulphuric acid on a mixture of potassium nitrate and ferrous sulphate, or of hydrochloric acid on a mixture of potassium nitrate and ferric chloride. It is also formed by the action of concentrated sulphuric acid on sodium nitrite in the presence of mercury. ”

“ In all probability, then, in the combustion of the composition of Bengal lights, the nitric oxide itself may affect the combustion of the antimony, which, as it would be enveloped in nitrous acid vapour, arising from the union of nitrous gas and oxygen, may present, in a measure, one of those cases of combustion, in which nitric oxide acts as a supporter, affording on that account a particular phenomenon. ”

“ The first product of the reaction is nitric oxide, which on cooling with the residual gases produces nitrogen peroxide. The cooled gases are then led into towers where they meet a stream of water coming in the contrary direction. Nitric acid (up to 59%) is formed in the first tower, and weaker acids in the successive ones; the last tower contains milk of lime which combines with the gases to form calcium nitrite and nitrate (this product, being unsuitable as a manure, is decomposed with the acid, and the evolved gases sent back) . ”

“ For this reason nitrous oxide formed by the condensation of two permanent gases is a substance which is somewhat easily converted into a liquid; again, nitric acid, which is formed from elements which are permanent gases, is a liquid, whilst, on the contrary, nitric oxide, which is formed without contraction and is decomposed without expansion, remains a gas which is as difficult to liquefy as nitrogen and oxygen. ”

“ The speed with which nitric oxide takes up oxygen from the air, and thus becomes capable of oxidising more iron, renders some precautions necessary; ferrous chloride should, therefore, be used, since it is easier to expel nitric oxide (by boiling) from solutions of a chloride than it is from those of a sulphate. The process is as follows:—Dissolve 2 grams of thin soft iron wire in 50 c.c. of hydrochloric acid in a flask provided with an arrangement for maintaining an atmosphere of carbon dioxide. When the iron has dissolved, allow the solution to cool, and add 0.5 gram of the nitrate. ”

“ If the gas be mixed with the vapour of carbon disulphide, the mixture burns with a vivid lavender-coloured fiame. Nitric oxide is soluble in solutions of ferrous salts, a dark brown solution being formed, which is readily decomposed by heat, with evolution of nitric oxide. It combines with oxygen to form nitrogen peroxide. Nascent hydrogen reduces it to hydroxylamine (q.v.) , whilst solutions of hypochlorites oxidize it to nitric acid. In some instances it reacts as a reducing agent, e.g. ”

“ A colourless, tasteless, inodorous, irrespirable, and incombustible gas. In contact with free oxygen, it produces dense orange or red vapours of nitric peroxide (NO2) , which are freely absorbed by water. Nitric oxide is absorbed by a solution of ferrous sulphate, which it turns of a deep brown or nearly black colour, which is removed by boiling. Sp. gr. 1·039.
Nitrous Anhydride. N2O3. Syn. Nitrogen trioxide, Anhydrous nitrous acid. The easiest method of obtaining this compound consists in heating 1 part of powdered starch with 8 parts of nitric acid of sp. gr. ”

“ Nitric acid gives off oxygen and becomes nitric oxide, this nitric oxide simultaneously takes up new oxygen from the atmosphere and is transformed into a higher oxide of nitrogen and from this acid sulphuric dioxide is again given off and made by the same process, so that, theoretically, an infinitely small amount of nitric acid should be effective to transform an unlimited quantity of sulphuric dioxide, oxygen and water into sulphuric acid. Change in matter regularly occurs through the passing of fluids through dead organic and inorganic membranes as in the artificial cells of Traube. ”

“ A mixture of nitric oxide and hydrogen is inflammable. If a mixture of the two gases be passed over spongy platinum the nitrogen and hydrogen even combine, forming ammonia. A mixture of nitric oxide with many combustible vapours and gases is very inflammable. A very characteristic flame is obtained in burning a mixture of nitric oxide and the vapour of the combustible carbon bisulphide, CS2. ”

“ The evolved oxides of nitrogen are absorbed in the water in the bulb, and at the end of two hours the tubes are removed from the bath, and on cooling, the water from the bulb flows back and wets the explosive. The contents of the tube are filtered and washed, the filtrate is oxidised with permanganate, and the nitrogen determined as nitric oxide by the Schultze-Tieman method. The authors conclude that a stable gun-cotton does not evolve more than 2.5 c.c. ”

“ But there is every reason to suppose, that in this process, when the hydrogene of the ammoniac combines with a portion of the oxygene of the [Pg 105] nitric acid to form water, and the nitrogene enters into union with the nitrogene and remaining oxygene of the nitric acid, to form nitrous oxide; that water pre-existing in nitric acid and ammoniac, such as they existed in the aëriform state, is deposited with the water produced by the new arrangement, and not wholly combined with the nitrous oxide formed. ”

“ It is soluble in twelve times its bulk of water, and is combinable with the acids, and certain metallic solutions; it is possessed of no acid properties, and is decomposable by most of the bodies that attract oxygene strongly, at high temperatures. 100 cubic inches of it weigh about 34 grains, at the mean temperature and pressure.
Nitric Acid is a substance permanently aëriform at common temperatures, composed of about 1 nitrogene, to 2,3 oxygene. It is soluble to a great extent in water, and combinable with the alkalies, and nitrous gas. ”

“ In these cases various oxidation products of nitrogen are formed, but in the presence of water and an excess of oxygen they always give nitric acid. Nitric acid, as corresponding with the highest oxide, is able, in deoxidising, to give the lower oxides; it is the only nitrogen acid whose salts occur somewhat widely in nature, and it has many technical uses, for which reason we will begin with it.
Nitric acid, NHO3, is likewise known as aqua fortis. In a free state it is only met with in nature in small quantities, in the air and in rain-water after storms ”

“ When very dilute nitric acids are made to act upon iron, by the assistance of heat, nitrous oxide is produced in considerable quantities, mingled with nitrous gas and nitrogene; the proportions of which are smaller as the process advances. [143] The fluid remaining after the oxydation and solution of iron in nitric acid, always contains ammoniac.
e. As during the solution of tin, zinc, and iron, in nitric acid, the quantity of acid is diminished in proportion as the process advances, it is reasonable to suppose that the relative quantities of the gases evolved are perpetually varying. ”

“ I have not yet obtained a nitrate of iron giving only a white precipitate with prussiate of potash, that is, such as contains only oxide of iron at its minimum of oxydation; for when pure green oxide of iron is dissolved by very dilute nitric acid, a small quantity of the acid is generally decomposed, which is likewise the case in the decomposition of nitre by green sulphate of iron. The solutions of nitrate of iron, however, procured in both of these modes, absorb nitrous gas with rapidity, and by sulphurated hydrogene might probably be converted into pale nitrate. ”

“ The first four oxides are gases, the fifth is a solid. Nitrous oxide, N2O, isolated in 1776 by J. Priestley, who obtained it by reducing nitrogen peroxide with iron, may be prepared by heating ammonium nitrate at 170-260° C.-, or by reducing a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acid with zinc. It is a colourless gas, which is practically odourless, but possesses a sweetish taste. ”

“ When nitric acid is combined with muriatic acid, or sulphuric acid, [144] the quantities of nitrous oxide produced from its decomposition by tin, zinc, and iron, are rather increased than diminished. The nitrous oxide obtained from these solutions is, however, never sufficiently pure for physiological experiments. It is always mingled with either nitrous gas, nitrogene, or hydrogene, and sometimes with all of them. ”

“ Such reagents are termed oxidising agents. Besides nitric acid, permanganate of potash, bichromate of potash, and peroxide of hydrogen are largely used for this purpose. One c.c. of nitric acid contains as much oxygen as 2.56 litres of air, and the greater part of this is available for oxidising purposes. Try the following experiment:—Take 2 grams of tin and cover in a weighed Berlin dish with 20 c.c. of dilute nitric acid, heat till decomposed, evaporate to dryness, ignite, and weigh. The 2 grams of tin should yield 2.542 grams of oxide. ”

“ From the solutions of bismuth, nickel, lead, and copper, in diluted nitric acid, I have never obtained any perceptible quantity of nitrous oxide: the gas produced is nitrous, mingled with different portions of nitrogene. Antimony and mercury, during their solution in aqua regia, give out only nitrous gas.
Probably none of the metallic bodies, except those that decompose water at temperatures below ignition, will generate nitrous oxide from nitric acid. On cobalt and manganese I have never had an opportunity of experimenting: manganese will probably produce nitrous oxide. ”

“ It is much more consonant with experiment to suppose that nitrous acid is nothing more than nitric acid holding nitrous gas in solution, which might in conformity to the principles of the French nomenclature, be called nitrate of nitrogene. The difficulty, and in some cases the impossibility, of forming nitrites, arises from the weak affinity which nitrous gas has for nitric acid, compared with that of other substances ”

“ Dinitro-benzol is formed, which is dissolved in alcohol, and the resulting solution subjected to the reducing action of ammonia and sulphuretted hydrogen, as described under aniline. Nitraniline forms yellow, acicular crystals, little soluble in cold water, but freely soluble in alcohol and ether. Its salts are crystallisable.
NI′TRATE. Syn. Nitras, L. A salt of nitric acid (e.g. AgNO3, nitrate of silver) . The nitrates are very easily prepared by the direct solution of the metal, or its oxide, or carbonate, in nitric acid, which, in most cases, should be previously diluted with water. ”

“ More than a quarter of a cubic inch of common air had been present in the mattrass: the oxygene of this common air must have combined with the nitrous gas, to form nitric acid. Might not this nitric acid have been decomposed, and furnished oxygene to the red oxide of iron, and nitrogene to the small quantity of ammoniac found in the solution, as in d? ”