Quadrisulphuret. The quadrisulphuret of barytes may be formed the same way as quadrisulphuret of lime, by boiling the hydrate of barytes and sulphur together. A yellow solution of the compound is formed, not distinguishable in appearance from that of lime; and it appears to be analogous to it in most of its properties. By acquiring oxygen it becomes colourless sulphuretted sulphite of barytes, and crystalizes in needles; in this last respect it differs from that of lime. The maximum density of liquid quadrisulphuret I have not had an opportunity of ascertaining; it is 1.07 or upwards; that of the liquid sulphuretted sulphite is much less than that of lime; the crystals are found in a liquid so low as 1.004 sp. gr. They have a fine silky lustre when dry, and a yellowish colour; heated they burn with a blue flame and leave a white mass of sulphate preserving the same crystalline appearance as before, and lose about 20 per cent. of weight. Ten grains of the crystals of sulphuretted sulphite, when treated with liquid oxymuriate of lime to saturation, require 2+ grains of oxygen and yield 8 grains of sulphate of barytes, together with an excess of sulphuric acid which with muriate of barytes gives 8 grains more of sulphate. From these facts it may be concluded that the sulphuretted sulphite consists of one atom barytes, 2 sulphur, 2 oxygen, and 2 water, and that 4 more of oxygen are derived from the oxymuriatic acid to convert the sulphurous oxide into sulphuric acid. The sulphuretted sulphite of barytes seems to pass into sulphate by length of time. The weight of the atom of quadrisulphuret of barytes is 124; the compound in mass consists of 100 barytes and 82 sulphur.
Hydrosulphuret of barytes. This compound may be formed in the same manner as that of lime, and is found to have similar properties. The proportions for mutual saturation are, I find, as in the case of lime, 15 sulphuretted hydrogen to 68 barytes by weight, or one atom of each.
4. Sulphurets of strontites.
The protosulphuret and quadrisulphuret of strontites may be formed in the same way as those of lime and barytes. From a few experiments made on these compounds I have not observed any remarkable feature of distinction between them and the corresponding ones of the other earths.
Hydrosulphuret of strontites. This compound may be formed in the same way as that of lime; the proportions to produce mutual saturation will be 1 atom of each, or 15 parts sulphuretted hydrogen, to 46 strontites by weight.
5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Sulphurets of alumine, silex,
yttria, glucine, and zircone.
I made several unsuccessful attempts to combine alumine and sulphur. When alumine and sulphur mixed together are heated, the sulphur sublimes chiefly, and leaves the alumine with traces of sulphate of alumine.
In the humid way, recently precipitated and moist alumine mixed with sulphur and boiled in water, give a liquid with some traces of sulphuric acid, but no sulphuret of alumine; the sulphur and alumine both subside, and when the sulphur is either sublimed or burnt, the alumine remains much the same as at first. When a solution of alum is treated with sulphuret of lime, sulphate of lime is precipitated along with the greatest part of the sulphur in a kind of feeble union rather than mechanical mixture, it should seem; the alumine is at the same time precipitated probably in mechanical mixture; there remain in solution a little sulphuret of potash and sulphate of lime.
Sulphuret of silex is not known, I apprehend, to exist. When silicated potash in solution is treated with quadrisulphuret of lime, a copious dark brown or black precipitate instantly appears; the liquid when filtered is of a pale yellow colour, and seems to contain about one half of the sulphur and potash, whilst the other half is thrown down in union with the lime and silex. This black compound is probably 1 atom of lime, 2 of sulphur, 2 of potash, and 2 of silex; it cannot therefore be accounted a sulphuret of silex.
Sulphurets of yttria, glucine, and zircone, are as yet, I presume, unknown.