The principal chromophores are the azo, -N = N -, azoxy, = N 2 O, nitro, - N02, nitroso, - NO, and carbonyl, = CO, groups.
Numerous nitroso compounds are met with in the aromatic series.
Azoxy Compounds, R N O N R', are usually yellow or red crystalline solids which result from the reduction of nitro or nitroso compounds by heating them with alcoholic potash (preferably using methyl alcohol).
It yields a nitroso derivative, is nitrated by nitric acid to dilituric acid and brominated by bromine.
Canine is a secondary base, forming a nitroso derivative with nitrous acid, a urethane with chlorcarbonic ester and a tertiary base (methyl conine) with methyl iodide; reactions which point to the presence of the = NH group in the molecule.