4218. Acetate of Ammonia

4218.    Acetate of Ammonia. Mix together equal parts of sal-ammoniac and acetate of potassa, and distill; binacetate of ammonia passes over into the receiver, as an oily liquid, which, on cooling, forms a radiated crystalline mass. By passing dry ammoniacal gas into this salt, melted by a gentle heat, it is transformed into tho neutral acetate, and becomes solid and inodorous.

Or: By saturating strong acetic acid with ammonia, and evaporating over sulphuric acid in vacuo, crystals of acetate of ammonia may be obtained. "Very soluble both in alcohol and water, and very deliquescent.

4219. Carbonate of Ammonia

4219.    Carbonate of Ammonia. The Neutral Carbonate is prepared by mixing equal parts sal-ammoniac, powdered and well dried, and dried carbonate of soda, and subliming, by a gradually increased heat, from an earthen retort into a refrigerated receiver.

4220. Sesquicarbonate of Ammonia

4220.    Sesquicarbonate of Ammonia. This is the commercial carbonate of ammonia, and is prepared as follows; Sal-ammoniac, or pure commercial sulphate of ammonia, and chalk, equal parts, both dry and in powder. Mix and sublime from an iron pot, into a long earthen or leaden receiver, well cooled. The receiver is usually fitted with a moveable lead cover, secured by a water-joint, and has an open lead pipe in tho bottom, to allow the liquid products of the distillation to drain off into a second receiver. "When made of tho impure sulphate of ammonia, it must bo re-sublimed in iron pots, furnished with leaden heads kept cool. A little water is commonly introduced into the subliming pots, to render the product translucent. The heat is usually applied by means of a common furnace, but a steam or water bath is preferable, as the temperature required for this purpose does not exceed 200° Fahr.

4221. Bicarbonate of Ammonia

4221.    Bicarbonate of Ammonia. Tho commercial carbonate reduced to fine powder, and exposed to the air for 24 hours, becomes a bicarbonate spontaneously. It can also be obtained by passing a stream of carbonic acid gas through a solution of the sesquicarbonate until saturated, and drying the crystals which form without heat.

4222. Muriate of Ammonia

4222.     Muriate of Ammonia. Also called sal-ammoniac and hydrochlorate of ammonia. This substance was formerly prepared in Egypt by tho sublimation of the soot from camels' dung, which yields from 1/8 to 1/4 its weight. Tho sal-ammoniac of commerce is now wholly prepared at the great chemical works, and never by the small consumer, by whom it is merely occasionally refined or purified. The crude ammoniacal salt of tho gas-works is placed in iron pots, lined with clay, and a leaden dome or head adapted, and heat applied until the whole has sublimed. When tho crude salt is a sulphate, it is mixed with a sufficient quantity of muriate of soda before sublimation, and the sal-ammoniac is formed by the double decomposition of tho ingredients. The preparation of sal-ammoniac from bone-spirit salt is nearly similar. The sal-ammoniac of commerce is found under the form of largo hemispherical, cup-like cakes or masses, having a semi-crystalline texture, and varying in weight from 100 to 1000 pounds. It forms a clear and colorless solution with water, and wholly volatilizes by heat. Mixed with lime or caustic potassa, it evolves tho pungent odor of ammonia; it gives a white curdy precipitate with nitrate of silver. The sal-ammoniac of commerce is generally sufficiently pure for all the purposes of the arts, but when wanted of greater purity, it may be broken into pieces and re-sublimed from an earthenware vessel into a large receiver of earthenware or glass, in which state it is known as "flowers of sal-ammoniac," from being in fine powder. Chemically pure hydrochlorate of ammonia may be prepared by adding the pure carbonate of ammonia to dilute hydrochloric acid until saturated. (Cooley.)