Alkalis give hydrogen and phosphine.
Phenyl-acridine is the parent base of chrysaniline, which is the chief constituent of the dyestuff phosphine (a bye-product in the manufacture of rosaniline).
When finely divided it decomposes water giving hydrogen phosphide; it also reduces sulphurous and sulphuric' acids, and when boiled with water gives phosphine and hypophosphorous acid; when slowly oxidized under water it yields, hypophosphoric acid.
The Committee agreed the following conclusions which are applicable to phosphine and all the above mentioned metallic phosphides.
The products used now produce phosphine, which is extremely toxic to rabbits.