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Author: Subject: Preparation of Phenol from Salicylic Acid
thebean
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[*] posted on 26-2-2014 at 17:30


Quote: Originally posted by DraconicAcid  
Quote: Originally posted by thebean  
Out of curiosity UC, how was the odor? I've heard that's rather indescribable but is sometimes equated to the smell of rotting fish.

That sounds more like pyridine than phenol.


I've heard them both described that way and wanted to clear it up for myself.




"You need a little bit of insanity to do great things."
-Henry Rollins
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[*] posted on 1-1-2019 at 03:25


I followed the procedure with 441 grams of salicylic acid. I observed large temperature swings when distilling the crude phenol. I think they were caused by further decarboxylation.

The distillation left behind salicylic acid residue. I decarboxylated the residue.

I obtained a good yield. It is not completely pure. Is phenol hard to fractionally distill?
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wg48
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[*] posted on 1-1-2019 at 07:14


Quote: Originally posted by thebean  
Quote: Originally posted by DraconicAcid  
Quote: Originally posted by thebean  
Out of curiosity UC, how was the odor? I've heard that's rather indescribable but is sometimes equated to the smell of rotting fish.

That sounds more like pyridine than phenol.


I've heard them both described that way and wanted to clear it up for myself.


I guess you have to be over 50 to know what Lifebuoy carbolic soap (a disinfecting soap containing phenol) smells like or how the soap factory at Port Sunlight on the Wirral England could be detected with your nose from miles away by the smell of the soap. LOL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifebuoy_(soap)




Borosilicate glass:
Good temperature resistance and good thermal shock resistance but finite.
For normal, standard service typically 200-230°C, for short-term (minutes) service max 400°C
Maximum thermal shock resistance is 160°C
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[*] posted on 1-1-2019 at 16:30


I redistilled my phenol through a short path condenser. I collected the fraction boiling between 179 C and 182 C. I obtained 188 grams of phenol melting at 40 C, 62.7%. It smells like sore throat spray.

A honey-colored oil remains in the distillation flask.
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lordcookies24
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[*] posted on 3-1-2019 at 11:17


This is the type of chemistry that I like. To make useful chemicals from normal everyday household items so I don't have to buy from chemical sellers
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XeonTheMGPony
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[*] posted on 5-1-2019 at 08:22


Quote: Originally posted by lordcookies24  
This is the type of chemistry that I like. To make useful chemicals from normal everyday household items so I don't have to buy from chemical sellers


It is cheaper to order in the end as you can not compete with industrial production.

I do recommend doing this stuff as it builds skill and experience, but for practical stuff better to order in bulk, when I order stuff I do it in 500 to 1Kg quantities
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Magpie
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[*] posted on 5-1-2019 at 09:06


Quote: Originally posted by XeonTheMGPony  

I do recommend doing this stuff as it builds skill and experience...


I agree completely. UC's experimental approach is a model for how to learn the most from an experiment. Without the benefit of IR, NMR, etc, he examines every possible explanation for his observations.




The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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Housane
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[*] posted on 17-9-2019 at 11:34


Hi there I am wondering if this is ok to do in the UK or if it is illegsl



Green QD's so far

Feel free to correct grammar or incorect knknowledge. We are all learning.
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[*] posted on 24-10-2020 at 20:55


Phenol? Yeah. Phenol might not be an easy buy. Think TNT.

U.S. Agents, recently arrested a suspected terrorist, based on his purchasing Phenol.

It is a suspicious acquisition.

Why you might ask?

Because it is easily nitrated to produce Picric Acid. Salts of which, are comparable to TNT, in explosive potency.

Now, that arrest was in the U.S., where we can pretty much buy explosive precursors to our hearts content.

In Europe, governments tend to be more restrictive.

Though of course, legal penalties might be less in Europe.

In the U.S., if you do something terrible, you may be executed. Alternately, you may spend the rest of your life in prison. And, U.S. prisons, are uniformly horrible.

Seems to me, there are patents for this process, utilizing benzoic acid as a solvent. But, perhaps I am mistaken?

[Edited on 25-10-2020 by zed]
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