Axt
National Hazard
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Dimethylolperoxide
Just a warning for those trying to isolate DMP, HO-CH2-O-O-CH2-OH.
<img src="http://www.sciencemadness.org/scipics/axt/dmp_damn.jpg">
The Al topped 1" thick chipboard table above shows the result of evaporating off a solution of 20ml 30% formaldehyde (MeOH stabalised) mixed with 18ml
50% H2O2 & 2ml 70% HNO3. Do you think the addition of HNO3 would result in a different product?
First I tried without HNO3, only resulting in a layer of paraformaldehyde. So in all my wisdom, I added a bit of HNO3 to some, just to see what
happens. Put in a plastic container, then put it on an aluminium table in the sun to evaporate. It was 18°C outside, the table was warm to touch but
not hot.
I wasnt home at the time it detonated, but at the rate it was evaporating, I expect that it was still liquid! it would have been <5mm layer of it
when it went off.
You might get away with it in a cool dessicator, but not something im going to try again 
[Edited on 21-9-2004 by Axt]
[Edited on 9-12-2005 by Axt]
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chemoleo
Biochemicus Energeticus
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Interesting!
What are the properties of DMP supposed to be? Is it a liquid? Solubilities? Presumably very sensitive?
You mention a layer of paraformaldehyde - as far as I know paraformaldehyde is a powder that is essentially insoluble in water. I know this because of
the recent condensation reactions I tried with it. So how can it form a layer?
You seemed to add a proportionally small amount of HNO3, so it's presumably unlikely you got some ester or something. More likely it sounds like
acid-catalysed autodecomposition? If you want to try it again (possibly somewhere on a field), then try it with 70% H2SO4 instead - just to check
whehter it is the acidity or identity of the acid, causing the explosion.
Might be also a good idea to use formaldehyde that isn't stabilised with MeOH.
Never Stop to Begin, and Never Begin to Stop...
Tolerance is good. But not with the intolerant! (Wilhelm Busch)
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Axt
National Hazard
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DMP should be a crystaline peroxide, but highly water soluble, intermediate to HMTD & TMDD.
By layer of para, I mean that once the liquid was evaporated, it leaves a layer of crystals, presumably paraformaldehyde as they were not energetic at
all.
The reason I used HNO3 was as an attempted catalyst, the reason H2SO4 cant be used is because it wont evaporate, and HCl doesnt seem to work with TMDD
(at least for me).
Anyway, there is a listing of it in Fedoroff, a catalyst shouldnt be needed. Just evaporate off the solution to leave DMP. Kaboom has also mentioned
this before, which I should have found first because it describes exactly what happened to me!
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=210
14th post down
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