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Author: Subject: Best and worst smelling chemicals?
mr.crow
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[*] posted on 7-9-2011 at 20:47


I got a bottle of propionic acid today. It smelled very interesting, like Parmesan cheese. Not like feet as I expected.

Of course that's just the bottle itself, don't want to open it!




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The WiZard is In
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[*] posted on 17-9-2011 at 07:11
Worst and best all in one


At room temperature B4H10 is a colorless liquid or gas
having a peculiar smell, highly disagreeable odor; when
highly diluted, smells like chocolate. Its odor is still more
disagreeable than that of B2H6; which is probable do to
the fact that B4H10 is not decomposed at the moist
mucous membrane of the nose as rapidly as is B2H4. When
inhaled, a few bubbles of B4H10 cause headache and nausea.

Alfred Stock
Hydrides of Boron and Silicon
Cornell University Press
1957
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resveratrol
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[*] posted on 23-9-2011 at 15:28


didn't have the patience to read past page 2, but...

butanol!!!....and 2-mercaptoethanol is pretty bad too

best smelling: isoamyl acetate, salacylate, or vanillin
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perry798
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[*] posted on 24-9-2011 at 13:50


Be VERY, VERY careful indeed when working with hydrogen selenide!!! I found out why - THE HARD WAY!!! By accident I exposed myself to a HIGH concentration of the gas. The first sign of danger was the change of odor from rotten radishes / 'gas' to STRONG ODOR OF ROTTEN EGGS. I stupidly ignored this warning. Suddenly without any further warning: my nose started STINGING / BURNING UNCONTROLLABLY - NO MATTER HOW QUICKLY I RUSHED TO THE NEAREST WINDOW. Still the UNBEARABLE STINGING / BURNING WOULD NOT GO AWAY, OR EVEN LESSON IN THE SLIGHTEST!!! SEVERAL hours later the stinging / burning in my nose was tolerable and had almost gone - only to be left with a nasty cold that took at least a few days to get over. I could have only been exposed to the gas for a few minutes at the most - while I was transferring some aluminum selenide from one container to another. By the way - always store and handle aluminium selenide away from even air!! Hydrogen selenide has got to be the worst smelling compound in my opinion. This is not so much because of its awful smell - but because it BITES your poor nose and does not let go until after several hours later - when you are then left with a cold that takes at least a few days to shake off!!
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[*] posted on 28-9-2011 at 13:29


Chloroform smells awesome, acetic acid, not so much..




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[*] posted on 29-9-2011 at 20:50


Triethylamine makes me cringe I hate the smell with all my guts



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[*] posted on 30-9-2011 at 18:00


Ahh... the horrendous (sp?) smell of amines!



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cx1341
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[*] posted on 2-10-2011 at 18:04


Isoamyl acetate smells pretty good, but in general esters are some of the best smelling chemicals.
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[*] posted on 25-10-2011 at 13:44


So apperently Polverone and I are the only ones that like the smell of gas.



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[*] posted on 25-10-2011 at 19:17


what type of gas do you mean? petrel gas?



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[*] posted on 26-10-2011 at 08:54


Quote: Originally posted by DeathAdder  
So apperently Polverone and I are the only ones that like the smell of gas.


I also somewhat like it :D It is diethyl ether what gives gasoline its smell.
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[*] posted on 26-10-2011 at 09:40


is there some way to extract diethyl ether from gasoline?



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Adas
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[*] posted on 26-10-2011 at 10:08


Quote: Originally posted by Chemistry Alchemist  
is there some way to extract diethyl ether from gasoline?


Fractional distillation probably, but I'd rather buy some pure :D I have some pure DEE. About a litre.
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[*] posted on 26-10-2011 at 11:10


Quote: Originally posted by The WiZard is In  
When
inhaled, a few bubbles of B4H10 cause headache and nausea.


Researchers were formerly much more adventurous in employing their sense of smell and taste in the investigation of new compounds. I still find it difficult to believe that researchers actually decided to taste ethyl perchlorate, despite the fact that the compound is an extremely dangerously sensitive explosive, highly brissant even in very minute quantities, and a potentially deadly [poisonous] alkylating agent. Ethyl perchlorate has a "sweetish pungent taste, somewhat resembling that of cinnamon." Another source described that it has a "very pleasant odour and a sweet taste that changes to a burning taste like cinnamon."
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[*] posted on 26-10-2011 at 11:30


Quote: Originally posted by AndersHoveland  
Quote: Originally posted by The WiZard is In  
When
inhaled, a few bubbles of B4H10 cause headache and nausea.


Researchers were formerly much more adventurous in employing their sense of smell and taste in the investigation of new compounds. I still find it difficult to believe that researchers actually decided to taste ethyl perchlorate, despite the fact that the compound is an extremely dangerously sensitive explosive, highly brissant even in very minute quantities, and a potentially deadly [poisonous] alkylating agent. Ethyl perchlorate has a "sweetish pungent taste, somewhat resembling that of cinnamon." Another source described that it has a "very pleasant odour and a sweet taste that changes to a burning taste like cinnamon."


Unbelievable.. But the positive fact is, that we know how it smells/tastes without doing any damage to ourselves :D Someone tried it before, so we don't have to :) :P
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[*] posted on 26-10-2011 at 19:01


I'd like to say Chlorine smells the worse, but after getting use to it, it's not so bad. The most it does it harden the mucus in my nose on first whif of it.

But by far the worst is Glacial Acetic acid. Just nasty to even be around.

Not so sure on a good smell, Probably Citric acid. I love citric type flavors. QED: I love limes and lemons.

[Edited on 27-10-2011 by MrTechGuy1995]
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[*] posted on 27-10-2011 at 07:52


One compound which really is annoying is POCl3. I distilled some POCl3 in order to make it pure and now I have a smell in my nose which remains, even a few hours after I did the distillation. A similar effect I also noticed with PCl5 a year ago or so. The smell is not really bad, but it is bad that it remains in the nose hours after exposure. I only had a small whiff of the vapor, so there is no irritation, just a smell.



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[*] posted on 27-10-2011 at 17:01


refluxing DMSO makes me want to gag a bit.

mostly everything else I agree with :)




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[*] posted on 27-10-2011 at 17:47


Quote: Originally posted by MrTechGuy1995  

But by far the worst is Glacial Acetic acid. Just nasty to even be around.


Actetic anhydride, due to its volatility, is even more pungent! Yes, acetic acid is has an unpleasant smell (with a strong odor of vinegar), but it is really not so bad once you become accustomed to it.


When chloroform is heated with a primary amine (such as ethylamine CH3CH2NH2) in the presence of KOH, isocyanides are formed. These isocyanide have a very bad smell, resembling boiled cabbage, but much worse. Even a slight whiff will cause trouble breathing in most people.

Methyl isocyanate is toxic. Not sure about the others.

[Edited on 28-10-2011 by AndersHoveland]




I'm not saying let's go kill all the stupid people...I'm just saying lets remove all the warning labels and let the problem sort itself out.
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mr.crow
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[*] posted on 28-10-2011 at 06:53


Quote: Originally posted by smaerd  
refluxing DMSO makes me want to gag a bit.

mostly everything else I agree with :)


Like at 182 degrees? Its supposed to decomposes at that temperature.




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[*] posted on 28-10-2011 at 07:08


Guess I shouldn't have said refluxing but rather hot DMSO, sorry for bad vernacular. The rxn I attempted with it evolved CO2, so it made it appear as though refluxing.

Also when I said 'mostly everything else I agree with' was about agreeing with what other people were saying.

[Edited on 28-10-2011 by smaerd]




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[*] posted on 28-10-2011 at 07:23


Nah its ok.

I'm reconsidering using DMSO in the future now...




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[*] posted on 5-11-2011 at 07:21


Now I realised, that TATP has also a good smell. It smells like some commercial bleaching agents (SA8 - NA2CO3 × 1.5 H2O2). It is kinda strange, that the compound with explosive properties has also a good smell :D
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[*] posted on 10-11-2011 at 19:51


Like: Dilute ammonia
Dilute vinegar
gasoline

uncertain: bleach/slight chlorine
acetone/MEK

dislike: glacial acetic acid
hydrochloric acid
toluene
ethanol
bromine

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[*] posted on 11-11-2011 at 18:04


Quote: Originally posted by woelen  
One compound which really is annoying is POCl3. I distilled some POCl3 in order to make it pure and now I have a smell in my nose which remains, even a few hours after I did the distillation. A similar effect I also noticed with PCl5 a year ago or so. The smell is not really bad, but it is bad that it remains in the nose hours after exposure. I only had a small whiff of the vapor, so there is no irritation, just a smell.


you got that right brother! the majority of phosphorus compounds i have experienced so far are very unpleasant smelling. i have the phosphorus i made in a container under water and the bottle reeks every time it is opened. i also find it odd that there is a bit of smoke released every time i open the bottle...

as for the best smell of all time...i have to say that my smokehouse...or maybe my barbecue grill has it cinched up. some natural lump coal and a couple chunks of hickory or some apple or cherry wood burning under a brisket for 12-14 hours has been known to make the neighbors nosier than chemistry experiments ever could.




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