Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Nitrobenzene

itchyfruit - 16-7-2009 at 05:23

My nitrobenzene has smells a bit like marzipan, should i be worried?

Klute - 16-7-2009 at 05:26

No, nitrobenzene has a almond-like odor. It used to be used to "cut" benzealdehyde at a time BTW.

itchyfruit - 16-7-2009 at 06:47

Cheers it had me a bit worried, what's benzealdehyde ?

Klute - 16-7-2009 at 07:00

Benzaldehyde, C6H5CHO, a aldehyde with a strong almonds smell

Mr. Wizard - 16-7-2009 at 07:04

Quote: Originally posted by itchyfruit  
Cheers it had me a bit worried, what's benzealdehyde ?


Now YOU have us worried. What's benzealdehyde? Maybe you didn't recognize it with the extra e as benzaldehyde? So technically you're off the hook, but at great risk of looking clueless for a person playing with nitrobenzene. :(

itchyfruit - 16-7-2009 at 07:49

I am clueless, but determined to learn :D
Is benzaldehyde basically the same as nitrobenzene ?

ammonium isocyanate - 16-7-2009 at 08:08

Benzaldehyde is like nitrobenzene in the way that they are each benzene compounds substituted at one carbon atom, but other than that, the nitro functional group is nothing like the aldehyde functional group. Nitrobenzene is the product of nitration of benzene, whereas benzaldehyde is the product of selective oxidation of toluene (among other syntheses).

Nitrobenzene = C6H5NO2
Benzaldehyde = C6H5CHO

Be safe with that nitrobenzene. If you have any more qustions about benzaldehyde or nitrobenzene, wikipedia them.

[Edited on 16-7-2009 by ammonium isocyanate]

Jor - 16-7-2009 at 08:29

If you even ask if nitrobenzene is basically the same as benzaldehyde, you should not play with a chemical like nitrobenzene wich is toxic and absorbed through the skin.
And if you are willing to learn, why are you to lazy to type them both in google?

So put the nitrobenzene away and get some books, so you can learn first before experimenting with chemicals like these. Good luck! :)

itchyfruit - 16-7-2009 at 08:58

I wasn't being lazy i looked up nitrobenzene to get the msds and i'm fully aware how toxic it is, i have never needed to look up benzaldehyde as i don't have any and until now never heard of it.
The Nitrobenzene i'm comparing how well it dissolves rubber against a few other solvents, only a couple of mls per test tube, this is why i asked if the two are basically the same.
I'm of to look up benzalehyde now, just to see what all the fuss is about :)
Thanks for the advice.

bfesser - 16-7-2009 at 09:30

Perhaps you should read a basic organic textbook before experimenting further. To at least get your bearings.

itchyfruit - 16-7-2009 at 11:18

I think your right, for something that only uses 4 elements it's pretty damn complimicated :D

DJF90 - 16-7-2009 at 17:21

Organic chemistry uses far more than 4 elements. Aside from H, C, N and O (the ones I beleive you are refering too), you also have F, P, S, Cl, Br, I, which are fairly common, and then others like Li, B, Se, Mg etc that also pop up every now and again. You can learn from a book before you experiment, and I greatly advocate that. However you are less likely to be able to read a book after you experiment if you dont know what you're doing, comprende?

itchyfruit - 17-7-2009 at 03:11

So it would seem,but my book (chemistry for dummies) don't seem to cover them. What's more i'm only up to butane. So read a few books i will,but if anyone could recommend:D a few simple experiments just to put some of this theory into practise it would be handy!!

Comprende, theirs a famous book from your part of the world that doesn't seem to include this word.
Speak English man :D
I go trials riding in stokenchurch not far from you and i built the student accommodation above Gills hardware back in 2001, so were virtually neighbours perhaps a few chemistry lessons would be in order :D

stoichiometric_steve - 17-7-2009 at 04:40

i also suggest you do some thorough reading before you smell that nitrobenzene again. do your peers and neighbours the favor...

sonogashira - 17-7-2009 at 04:55

Quote: Originally posted by itchyfruit  
So it would seem,but my book (chemistry for dummies) don't seem to cover them. What's more i'm only up to butane. So read a few books i will,but if anyone could recommend:D a few simple experiments just to put some of this theory into practise it would be handy!!

Maybe try this for some ideas http://www.scribd.com/doc/4016475/the-golden-book-of-chemist...

And yes, don't smell solvents too much... unless its ether!:D

[Edited on 17-7-2009 by sonogashira]

itchyfruit - 17-7-2009 at 07:13

i also suggest you do some thorough reading before you smell that nitrobenzene again. do your peers and neighbours the favor...

I had 3ml of the stuff in a test tube with a cork bung overnight,went into the lab this morning about 10 and it stank of marzipan (i hate marzipan)i put the extraction on for a couple of hours switched it off and locked up to go and do a call out,got back an hour ago and the marzipan smell is back. I checked the cork (with gloves on) all seems ok how the hell does it manage to disperse so easily.

Maybe try this for some ideas http://www.scribd.com/doc/4016475/the-golden-book-of-chemist...

I own a copy of this book (well the English version THE SECRETS OF CHEMISTRY) it's the book that first evoked my interest in chemistry 30 years ago, back then i never had the facility's or the access to chemicals i have now so i'm going to work through some of the stuff in it, that i couldn't do when i was 12.
Thanks for the pointer :)

DJF90 - 17-7-2009 at 16:20

If you're just learning about butane then you have a long way to go :P no doubt you'll get there eventually though. Perhaps some inorganic experiments would be safer for the time being - its lab experience you need, and it helps to start with the easiest kind of practical work to do. Try woelen's site - there are plenty of experiments there you could replicate in your own lab, and the best thing about test tube chemistry is that its generally on a safe scale :D

itchyfruit - 18-7-2009 at 01:55

Cheers, i'll take a look :D