II. Notice of researches on a new class of organic bases, conducted by Charles S. Wood, Esq

In his remarkable memoir on the action of reducing agents on nitro-compounds, in which Zinin first pointed out the formation of organic bases by the substitution of hydrogen for oxygen, some experiments are recorded on the deportment of dinitro-naphtalin (nitro-naphtalese) with sulphuretted hydrogen. Zinin states that this process gives rise to the formation of a basic compound crystallizing in delicate copper-red needles, and yielding with acids white scaly salts. In a subsequent paper Zinin returns to the action of sulphuretted hydrogen or dinitronaphtalin, and gives a fuller account of the products obtained in this process. The basic substance arising from dinitronaphtalin crystallizes in colourless needles of great brilliancy, which contain C10 H5 N, or C20 H10 N2 .