is there any way to determine when you've hit the chloroform layer during the seperation from the bleach/water/side-product/reactant mixture from the bucket while wearing a respirator, ie so I don't have to inhale it?
The odor wasn't how we determined we were near the chloroform layer, it's just another sign. The main indication we used was that the biphase is clearly visible, and the chloroform shimmers under sunlight.
I am amazed by your setup. What is the cost of all of that equipment? I am a second year chem major and I have been looking into buying my own equipment.
It's difficult to estimate how much money we've put into the hobby altogether, and what exactly would be required for this experiment, but it can add up. My advice regarding purchasing equipment is to buy parts which can potentially have multiple uses and are interchangeable, not some kit which can't have parts swapped out and upgraded. I buy much of my glassware from Kantu200 on eBay and recommend his store.
That is true, with the added qualification that it is a slow process which requires light to occur at any appreciable rate and a supply of oxygen which is in contact with the chloroform.
Can someone explain to me please what it means to "dry out" something like cloroform using a chemical like sodium diclorate (ide?) and what that entails? What does it do to the product? Make it last longer?
It contains a small amount of water at first; drying it is removing that. I don't know what you're referring to by "sodium diclorate (ide?)", but some salts naturally contain water, which can be removed by heating them up. When you add the dried salt to the liquid, it absorbs the water out of it. Removing water, depending on what compound you're working with, can have any number of beneficial effects, potentially including increased stability.
What do you use to put water on the reflux condenser? my english is bad sorry i'm meaning this bucket with cold water in it, what is called? thats because my lab don't have tap water so i need to use that, what is it called?
Your best bet would be shaking it a bunch of times with clean water and then dehydrating it with anhydrous magnesium sulfate. What are you planning to do with it? That will determine how pure you need it to be.
There is no such thing as human grade chloroform. Chloroform is carcinogenic and hepatotoxic. Please, for everyone's sake, don't be purposely exposing anyone to chloroform.
@ReactionFactory is there any methods of removing most of the impurities without the use of distillation, since the hydroxide, chlorine, sodium chloride and acetone are soluble in water could the mixture be placed in conditions lower then 0 degrees and then separated from the chloroform as they turn into a solid or would only the water freeze along with sodium chloride but leaving the acetone since it has a low freezing temp?
We weren't highlighting a color change, just chloroform's ability to form violet solutions with iodine. Aqueous solutions are a distinctly different color.
Yes, a non-negligable equilibrium concentration of Cl2 is present in the bleach. That isn't ideal conditions for that free radical reaction, though, with low concentrations of chlorine, low levels of light, and lots of water to quench the radicals. Despite this, a small amount of carbon tetrachloride WILL be formed through this mechanism.
That is a way to stabilize the chloroform, but, because we kept it in a doubly-sealed, dark bottle, we decided that the amount of oxygen and UV-light which could cause oxidation to phosgene would be low enough for our safety.
I have some questions. First would i be able to do this reaction with normal 6% bleach? Also I don't have a fractional distillation setup, would it be ok if i just distilled it without a fractional column? would chloroform dissolve/destroy polyethylene, PTFE, teflon, polycarbonate or other plastics? Finally i don't have pure ethanol so, would denatured alcohol or even better, methanol stabilize the chloroform ? Since i don't like phosgene.
@spotlightman1234 Yes, but you will need more of it; that will decrease the yield. The fractionation column is good for separation, but shouldn't be truly necessary to separate the chloroform from the other components (mostly water, acetone, and salts). Compatibility with LDPE is fair (Although I think you'd be OK. HDPE would be better.); teflon/PTFE, excellent; polycarbonate, severe reaction. Look up a chemical compatibility table. I would use a few drops of denatured alcohol to stabilize it.
you perform dangerous synthesis. Surely you are a brilliant student. I am a Chemist and I congratulate you for interest in chemical research. You are my super hero of the chemical. I only ask you to be wary of reactions.
you perform dangerous synthesis. Surely you are a brilliant student. I am a Chemist and I congratulate you for interest in chemical research. You are my super hero of the chemical. I only ask you to be wary of reactions.
I don't have all that fancy equipment to distill or purify the chloroform, so would it be so bad if i just kept what i end up with after draining the the top layer? Just the raw chloroform you were separating @2:45 ? What's the approximate percent of its purity at that stage? Also what are the dangers, I've read that it can give off phosgene and ether, I've also heard i can stop that by adding ethanol, is this true? Please respond, thank you.
It depends what you're doing with it, but the undistilled crude product may be just fine for you. I don't have any estimate on purity, though; sorry. If it sits for a long time in light exposed to oxygen, phosgene may be slowly produced. Ethanol does retard this reaction. Chloroform is a weak alkylating agent, and is converted to phosgene in the liver. These two effects make it slightly carcinogenic, so avoid its fumes. It is not true that it will convert to ether.
It will in high concentrations, but that is quite unlikely working with it outside or in a well-ventilated area. If you inhale a high concentration of it for a few breaths, the proverbial "rag that smells like chloroform," it is quite possible that unconsciousness will result.
Yes, we have made ether, and we have posted a video on it. Similarly with ether, it's unlikely that you would be accidentally effected by the fumes. It has an off sweet smell that quickly makes one, or me at least, nauseous. The danger of accidentally igniting it is much worse than unintentionally being mentally affected by the fumes.
Not at all. It takes higher concentrations of it to do that, not the whiffs and smells we got. It has a slightly sickly sweet paint thinner smell which leaves a lingering taste in your mouth.
Nice vid, but why didn't you dry the product (easily done with a little Na2SO4)? You can see that it is a little cloudy thus still has significant levels of residual water .
It's a good solvent for many materials. I have used it in liquid-liquid extractions of caffeine and nitromethane. It could potentially be converted to formate with alcoholic hydroxide. It would also be useful in a killing jar if either of us were interested in entomology.
Primarily, though, it's just a cool curio to have a bottle labeled "chloroform" sitting on your dresser.
Great distillation glass, I wish I had that set up. Great job, Ive been looking forward to this. I dont have access to such quantities of sodium hypochlorite however, when i do perhaps I will gave it a try.
We bought the sodium hypochlorite as pool chlorine from Pinch-a-Penny. It was eight dollars for the container and four dollars for the liquid (approximately): not pricy to any extent.
The equipment here was scraped together from an old chemistry kit, United Nuclear, glassware we bought on eBay from a seller who goes by the name of kantu200, and some other miscellaneous sources. (e.g. the aquarium pump, portable heating element, pan, and candy thermometer. We already had most of this laying around our houses.)
The equipment used here probably cost us around $350 (spread between two people and over time, this isn't very much at all.); the chemical inputs cost $6.
is there any way to determine when you've hit the chloroform layer during the seperation from the bleach/water/side-product/reactant mixture from the bucket while wearing a respirator, ie so I don't have to inhale it?
UNITA4 1 month ago
@UNITA4
The odor wasn't how we determined we were near the chloroform layer, it's just another sign. The main indication we used was that the biphase is clearly visible, and the chloroform shimmers under sunlight.
ReactionFactory 1 month ago
I am amazed by your setup. What is the cost of all of that equipment? I am a second year chem major and I have been looking into buying my own equipment.
Soccerownzu 3 months ago
@Soccerownzu
It's difficult to estimate how much money we've put into the hobby altogether, and what exactly would be required for this experiment, but it can add up. My advice regarding purchasing equipment is to buy parts which can potentially have multiple uses and are interchangeable, not some kit which can't have parts swapped out and upgraded. I buy much of my glassware from Kantu200 on eBay and recommend his store.
ReactionFactory 3 months ago
You should mention that chloroform breaks down into phosgene over time and when in contact with light, for example sunlight.
wazzy198 4 months ago
@wazzy198
That is true, with the added qualification that it is a slow process which requires light to occur at any appreciable rate and a supply of oxygen which is in contact with the chloroform.
ReactionFactory 3 months ago
there is almost nothing scarier than a runaway haloform reaction... *sees chloroform cloud* RUN!!!!
spotlightman1234 4 months ago
Gr8 Vid...Cheers! Just a question regarding the length of time for the addition of the acetone. How long roughly, did it take to add the acetone?
andrewbjohman 5 months ago
@andrewbjohman
Thanks! The addition took about 60 minutes for this volume of acetone.
ReactionFactory 5 months ago
Great job ReactionFactory! For another synthesis of chloroform check out our channel, Real Chem!
RealChemLabs 5 months ago
Hey does this smell like Chloroform?
joshuamnr 5 months ago
What size is your boiling flask?.......z
zardiw 6 months ago
@zardiw
One liter.
ReactionFactory 6 months ago
is the distillation of the crude product really necessary? how impure is it and what possible impurities may be present?
LemoneyFishmas 7 months ago
@LemoneyFishmas
These questions were asked in the comments a month ago. You can find the answers there.
ReactionFactory 7 months ago
Can someone explain to me please what it means to "dry out" something like cloroform using a chemical like sodium diclorate (ide?) and what that entails? What does it do to the product? Make it last longer?
McTrots 7 months ago
@McTrots
It contains a small amount of water at first; drying it is removing that. I don't know what you're referring to by "sodium diclorate (ide?)", but some salts naturally contain water, which can be removed by heating them up. When you add the dried salt to the liquid, it absorbs the water out of it. Removing water, depending on what compound you're working with, can have any number of beneficial effects, potentially including increased stability.
ReactionFactory 7 months ago
Why don't you just cultivate seaweed, and get the Chloroform that way?
skip8619 7 months ago
My mom would be pissed if she saw me making chloroform.
Would it help me sleep at night after I breathe into it?
TheEmikodo 7 months ago
@TheEmikodo
Worst ... idea ... ever.
ReactionFactory 7 months ago 11
@ReactionFactory
I think you're right.
TheEmikodo 7 months ago
@TheEmikodo Yes, it will help you sleep very well. For a LONG time. Like forever.......lol........z
zardiw 6 months ago
What do you use to put water on the reflux condenser? my english is bad sorry i'm meaning this bucket with cold water in it, what is called? thats because my lab don't have tap water so i need to use that, what is it called?
thank you a lot i'm waiting your response!
MrPaneKe 7 months ago
@MrPaneKe
It is an aquarium pump which circulates the cooled water through the condenser.
ReactionFactory 7 months ago
Why do you need chloroform?
robilav 7 months ago
@robilav
It's an excellent solvent, a useful reagent, and a historically interesting compound.
ReactionFactory 7 months ago
so is there any difference between this and just mixing a lot of ice and bleach?
killadingahopper 7 months ago
@killadingahopper
Did you miss the part where we added acetone?
ReactionFactory 7 months ago
In the old days, did they put cloroform on a rag and put it over your mouth and nose to put you to sleep.
sandyhembree 8 months ago
@SlipknotMan768 um, isn't that what its called?
coolsciencetech 8 months ago
@coolsciencetech
Indeed it is. It wouldn't really make a difference if your stopclock was closed before adding acetone, in all truth.
ReactionFactory 8 months ago
You're smart.
cladimere 8 months ago
what does the solution contain at 3:47 ( when the distillation of chloroform begins)
Rapeshark 9 months ago
@Rapeshark
Mostly chloroform, but the distillation is performed to separate this from the:
Unconsumed reactants: water, bleach, acetone
Reactant impurities: sodium chloride and chlorate, and hydroxide, chlorine, and others.
Intermediates: mono, di, and trichloroacetone
Side products: Tiny amounts of nasty things like carbon tetrachloride would also make sense.
ReactionFactory 9 months ago
@ReactionFactory is there any methods of removing most of the impurities without the use of distilation
Rapeshark 9 months ago
@Rapeshark
Your best bet would be shaking it a bunch of times with clean water and then dehydrating it with anhydrous magnesium sulfate. What are you planning to do with it? That will determine how pure you need it to be.
ReactionFactory 9 months ago
@ReactionFactory it would need to human grade
Rapeshark 9 months ago
@Rapeshark
There is no such thing as human grade chloroform. Chloroform is carcinogenic and hepatotoxic. Please, for everyone's sake, don't be purposely exposing anyone to chloroform.
ReactionFactory 9 months ago
@ReactionFactory is there any methods of removing most of the impurities without the use of distillation, since the hydroxide, chlorine, sodium chloride and acetone are soluble in water could the mixture be placed in conditions lower then 0 degrees and then separated from the chloroform as they turn into a solid or would only the water freeze along with sodium chloride but leaving the acetone since it has a low freezing temp?
Rapeshark 9 months ago
The iodine looked a little purple before you added the chloroform...I didn't really notice that drastic of a color change.
bradcasali 9 months ago
@bradcasali
We weren't highlighting a color change, just chloroform's ability to form violet solutions with iodine. Aqueous solutions are a distinctly different color.
ReactionFactory 9 months ago
I have some questions. The solution of hipoclorite you used, did it contain chlorine?
If it yes, in end wouldn't chlorine convert chloroform to Carbon tetrachloride?
CHCl3 + Cl2 -> CCl4 + HCl
This really happens?
morethen9000 9 months ago
@morethen9000
Yes, a non-negligable equilibrium concentration of Cl2 is present in the bleach. That isn't ideal conditions for that free radical reaction, though, with low concentrations of chlorine, low levels of light, and lots of water to quench the radicals. Despite this, a small amount of carbon tetrachloride WILL be formed through this mechanism.
ReactionFactory 9 months ago
Shouldn't you put in a mL of ethanol to stabilize the chloroform? Otherwise, you get phosgene contamination.
pyropakman 9 months ago
@pyropakman
That is a way to stabilize the chloroform, but, because we kept it in a doubly-sealed, dark bottle, we decided that the amount of oxygen and UV-light which could cause oxidation to phosgene would be low enough for our safety.
ReactionFactory 9 months ago
@ReactionFactory : Fantastic! Thanks for the response!
pyropakman 9 months ago
I seriously doubt this is legal....
CheckeredPoo 9 months ago
@CheckeredPoo Dosn't matture Just as long as you HAVE A BALL!
xD
Second2Rush 9 months ago
I have some questions. First would i be able to do this reaction with normal 6% bleach? Also I don't have a fractional distillation setup, would it be ok if i just distilled it without a fractional column? would chloroform dissolve/destroy polyethylene, PTFE, teflon, polycarbonate or other plastics? Finally i don't have pure ethanol so, would denatured alcohol or even better, methanol stabilize the chloroform ? Since i don't like phosgene.
spotlightman1234 9 months ago
@spotlightman1234 Yes, but you will need more of it; that will decrease the yield. The fractionation column is good for separation, but shouldn't be truly necessary to separate the chloroform from the other components (mostly water, acetone, and salts). Compatibility with LDPE is fair (Although I think you'd be OK. HDPE would be better.); teflon/PTFE, excellent; polycarbonate, severe reaction. Look up a chemical compatibility table. I would use a few drops of denatured alcohol to stabilize it.
ReactionFactory 9 months ago
this shit 2 long for me how much are you sell is for?????
osammion 9 months ago
Should be over the counter
eddo1983 10 months ago
you perform dangerous synthesis. Surely you are a brilliant student. I am a Chemist and I congratulate you for interest in chemical research. You are my super hero of the chemical. I only ask you to be wary of reactions.
furazano 10 months ago
you perform dangerous synthesis. Surely you are a brilliant student. I am a Chemist and I congratulate you for interest in chemical research. You are my super hero of the chemical. I only ask you to be wary of reactions.
furazano 10 months ago
I don't have all that fancy equipment to distill or purify the chloroform, so would it be so bad if i just kept what i end up with after draining the the top layer? Just the raw chloroform you were separating @2:45 ? What's the approximate percent of its purity at that stage? Also what are the dangers, I've read that it can give off phosgene and ether, I've also heard i can stop that by adding ethanol, is this true? Please respond, thank you.
przo89 1 year ago
@przo89
It depends what you're doing with it, but the undistilled crude product may be just fine for you. I don't have any estimate on purity, though; sorry. If it sits for a long time in light exposed to oxygen, phosgene may be slowly produced. Ethanol does retard this reaction. Chloroform is a weak alkylating agent, and is converted to phosgene in the liver. These two effects make it slightly carcinogenic, so avoid its fumes. It is not true that it will convert to ether.
ReactionFactory 1 year ago
@ReactionFactory does this make you pass out like they say on tv?
MrBobsrevenge 1 year ago
@MrBobsrevenge
It will in high concentrations, but that is quite unlikely working with it outside or in a well-ventilated area. If you inhale a high concentration of it for a few breaths, the proverbial "rag that smells like chloroform," it is quite possible that unconsciousness will result.
ReactionFactory 1 year ago
@ReactionFactory ooh ok thanks.
MrBobsrevenge 1 year ago
so how and where did you buy your apparatus?
castout47 1 year ago
@castout47
Considering your other comment, answering this one may not be a great idea...
ReactionFactory 1 year ago 6
@adiostraitorobama
Yes, we have made ether, and we have posted a video on it. Similarly with ether, it's unlikely that you would be accidentally effected by the fumes. It has an off sweet smell that quickly makes one, or me at least, nauseous. The danger of accidentally igniting it is much worse than unintentionally being mentally affected by the fumes.
ReactionFactory 1 year ago
@adiostraitorobama
Not at all. It takes higher concentrations of it to do that, not the whiffs and smells we got. It has a slightly sickly sweet paint thinner smell which leaves a lingering taste in your mouth.
ReactionFactory 1 year ago
Nice vid, but why didn't you dry the product (easily done with a little Na2SO4)? You can see that it is a little cloudy thus still has significant levels of residual water .
marccrockatt 1 year ago
And what do you do with you chloroform exactly??
aussieriemen 1 year ago
@aussieriemen
It's a good solvent for many materials. I have used it in liquid-liquid extractions of caffeine and nitromethane. It could potentially be converted to formate with alcoholic hydroxide. It would also be useful in a killing jar if either of us were interested in entomology.
Primarily, though, it's just a cool curio to have a bottle labeled "chloroform" sitting on your dresser.
ReactionFactory 1 year ago
Hi I was wondering, can I get girls with this?
sunhuts 1 year ago
Consuela, does this rag smell like chloroform?
sniff
Nooo, no, is, nooo....
splat
yellowmetalcyborg 1 year ago 5
Excellent!! This is an awesome video.
adriiPortillo 1 year ago
Really great video, love it! I did this once, but on a smaller scale, yields are terrible!
CarnalDiafragma 1 year ago
Very nice work, the only thing missing to purify your product is a little CaCl2 to dry it before storage.
vvideoupl 1 year ago 15
Great distillation glass, I wish I had that set up. Great job, Ive been looking forward to this. I dont have access to such quantities of sodium hypochlorite however, when i do perhaps I will gave it a try.
hkparker 1 year ago
@hkparker
We bought the sodium hypochlorite as pool chlorine from Pinch-a-Penny. It was eight dollars for the container and four dollars for the liquid (approximately): not pricy to any extent.
ReactionFactory 1 year ago
Where did you get your set up? I love it!
ballonman124 1 year ago
@ballonman124
The equipment here was scraped together from an old chemistry kit, United Nuclear, glassware we bought on eBay from a seller who goes by the name of kantu200, and some other miscellaneous sources. (e.g. the aquarium pump, portable heating element, pan, and candy thermometer. We already had most of this laying around our houses.)
The equipment used here probably cost us around $350 (spread between two people and over time, this isn't very much at all.); the chemical inputs cost $6.
ReactionFactory 1 year ago
@ReactionFactory thanks.
ballonman124 1 year ago