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largenumbergoeshere
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Diethyl ether on pulic transport
I'd like to make some diethyl ether at home and use it at a friend's house in a grignrad reaction but the only way I can get there is a combination of
bus and train. I've heard some scary things about ether like it ignighting only with the heat of a hotplate or its fairly wide range of explosive
mixtures. The last thing I want to do is cause a fire on the train and get on the bad side of law enforcement.
If I were to put it in a teflon tape sealed plastic bottle and put that in a few zip lock bags would it still pose a considerable danger?
Further more, would I be able to carry other hazardous liquids like fuming nitric acid with this method?
Thankyou for reading.
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j_sum1
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I wouldn't do it.
Maybe allow yourself some extra time and make it at your friend's place just before you need it. Ether is simple enough to synthesise.
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largenumbergoeshere
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That's true but theoretically it shouldn't pose much more of a threat than a bottle of vodka, if I'm careful, don't you think?
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wildfyr
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Tell that to the cops if you spill some and somebody freaks out.
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DavidJR
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As long as it's well packed and in small quantity (<500ml) then I wouldn't be too worried about doing that.
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CobaltChloride
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Please be careful with what plastic you use. The plastic might not be resistant to the ether and might break. I suggest using a PET water bottle
because those resist diethyl ether.
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Ubya
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i once brought to a friend in university a bottle of toluene, i used public transportation, it was summer (35+°C here in Rome) and the cap started
leaking, the smell of solvent i had around was very strong, everybody looked at me suspiciously, i'm never going to do it again.
be sure you use a bottle resistent to ether, and be sure the cap seals hermetically, if you smell of ether in the train could be a problem, i don't
know where you leave but if it's still hot outside i think it would be a great idea to transport your ether chilled (to prevent pressure build up and
leakage)
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feel free to correct my grammar, or any mistakes i make
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Herr Haber
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If you're careful and follow the last 3 posters advice you should be allright.
Depending on where you are ether might have a bad or very bad reputation so I'd advise against being searched 
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fusso
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Wait till a cooler day,cool the bottle further with ice and put the whole bottle in a styrofoam box/reflective container, then carry it in a shopping
trolley so that your body heat won't be transferred to the bottle.
(given that large objects are allowed on public transport)
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Heptylene
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Don't do it! Ether boils at 35 °C, which means that on a hot summer day (depending on where you live) your bottle will have 1 bar of pressure inside
it. If it breaks inside a vehicle, there will be ether everywhere, and nowhere to escape the vapor.
Fuming nitric acid is even more out of the question. Imagine if someone gets some nitric acid on their skin! No way to wash it off, no baking soda to
neutralize it!
If you are careful you should be able to do it without problem, but IF there is a problem its absolutely catastrophic.
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JJay
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I would suggest using something like a camping fuel bottle. I advise against having a law enforcement encounter while you are carrying bottles of
ether; the officer might be chemophobic or something. Also, check your local laws and the policies of your transit authority.
Fuming nitric acid can't be stored in many types of plastic. PVC will resist it but not forever. You probably want to carry it in a shatterproof glass
bottle that is coated with plastic, topped with a PTFE-lined cap.
While there are risks involved in carrying chemicals, if you take the proper precautions, the risks are dwarfed by the possibility of getting hit by a
car or run over by a train. Use proper containers, wear your seatbelt, and don't sleep on the train tracks.
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clearly_not_atara
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I would definitely not advise packing a container of ether into your luggage for a long journey, as the ether boiling could definitely lead to a
catastrophe as Heptylene suggests. But for a short trip under controlled circumstances you should be OK as long as you make sure nothing gets too
warm. Avoid packing any metallic objects in the same bag as the ether, as "clinking" could create sparks. You should take every possible precaution to
avoid leaks and then assume they will happen anyway.
[Edited on 04-20-1969 by clearly_not_atara]
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Heptylene
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@JJay Good suggestion on using a camping fuel can, those are probably built to resist some overpressure already, and they cannot shatter unlike glass.
Plus the can serves to camouflage the ether as camping fuel which is a good thing if someone asks about what largenumbergoeshere is
transporting.
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DavidJR
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Pack it how you'd expect it to be packed for shipping by a chemical supplier.
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zed
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I don't know where you are. In the U.S., you could just buy a few cans of Ether based "Quick Start" fluid, and take 'em over to your buddy's house.
Problem solved.
Might work, right out of the can. Hexane and all. Really not very suspicious. "I'm helping my buddy with his car!"
Nitric Acid? Ummmm. Likely to be detected instantly by "Sniffer Dogs" at a train station, airport, or National Border.
In which case, you might have some explaining to do. Possibly, years of explaining.
Me? I'd just put it in the back of my pick-up and drive it over. Though not across an international border, of course; not wise.
[Edited on 5-9-2018 by zed]
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JJay
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Sniffer dogs can detect nitric acid? I never even considered that...
If you are actually stopped by the police for some reason, you should mention that you have a bottle of ether just like you'd mention that you were
carrying a weapon. It shouldn't be an issue. The police will probably harass you if they find out you are carrying ether no matter how honest and
forthright you are, but you're better off telling them than letting them discover it for themselves.
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RogueRose
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Quote: Originally posted by JJay  | Sniffer dogs can detect nitric acid? I never even considered that...
If you are actually stopped by the police for some reason, you should mention that you have a bottle of ether just like you'd mention that you were
carrying a weapon. It shouldn't be an issue. The police will probably harass you if they find out you are carrying ether no matter how honest and
forthright you are, but you're better off telling them than letting them discover it for themselves.
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Another example of JJ trying to bend over backwards for law enforcement. If I didn't know better Iwould say he is affiliated. Every time there is an
issue about this subject you chime in telling everyone to "show their hand" in every situation even when the compound isn't illegal, it's suspicions
(your actions and the persons) to do this to LE.
Pack it well, make sure it is in a compatible container, put it on ice if you are concerned about the temp and take it with you. If LE stops you,
who cares. If they search you, they have to have legitimate probable cause, which I'm assuming unless you are acting like an asshole, they don't. It
will never get here, so don't worry, if it does, keep your mouth shut and ask for an attorney - don't ever talk to the police. If they arrest you and
have no proof of drug manufacture or other illegal use, there is good possiblity for a lawsuit against them.
I'm sure JJ will chime in with some chemophobia and pro Law enforcement post and minute as he always does.
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j_sum1
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Wow RR! It is amazing how often a question on safety revolves around to one about how to relate to LE.
There are, as always, a variety of approaches on this matter: depending on local laws, local policing practices, likely repercussions, prevailing
culture wrt to law enforcement, personality and what else you have going on.
I myself am inclined to approach things with full disclsure as JJay has suggested. Where I live there is nothing to be gained and everything to lose
by avoiding revealing information to the police. I think it is wise to avoid being critical with others if they adopt an approach that is different
from mine.
On the safety issue, the approach to take is to think of the worst possible scenario. say, a bus crash and losing possession of the container. Would
I be happy to leave several hundred mLs of ether in an unmarked and possibly damaged container for several hours in the temperatures that occur in an
unmoving bus? Does not seem good to me. OTOH, if I had, as
[url=https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=90581&goto=search&pid=533184]zed[/url suggested, a few cans of diesel engine
starter – properly labelled and designed to handle pressure, I would probably be ok with that.
If I was transporting HNO3 i would pack it securely: amber bottle, two fully sealed thick plastic bags, oversize polystyrene packing that was moulded
to hold a bottle of that size and shape and then sealed in a cardboard box – just the way that I would expect it if I ordered it. And i would not
be at all worried about the police. I would have to be prepared for the possibility that the bus company refused to take it on board. After all,
hazmat is there for a reason.
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JJay
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| Quote: Originally posted by RogueRose | | Quote: Originally posted by JJay | Sniffer dogs can detect nitric acid? I never even considered that...
If you are actually stopped by the police for some reason, you should mention that you have a bottle of ether just like you'd mention that you were
carrying a weapon. It shouldn't be an issue. The police will probably harass you if they find out you are carrying ether no matter how honest and
forthright you are, but you're better off telling them than letting them discover it for themselves.
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Another example of JJ trying to bend over backwards for law enforcement. If I didn't know better Iwould say he is affiliated. Every time there is an
issue about this subject you chime in telling everyone to "show their hand" in every situation even when the compound isn't illegal, it's suspicions
(your actions and the persons) to do this to LE.
Pack it well, make sure it is in a compatible container, put it on ice if you are concerned about the temp and take it with you. If LE stops you,
who cares. If they search you, they have to have legitimate probable cause, which I'm assuming unless you are acting like an asshole, they don't. It
will never get here, so don't worry, if it does, keep your mouth shut and ask for an attorney - don't ever talk to the police. If they arrest you and
have no proof of drug manufacture or other illegal use, there is good possiblity for a lawsuit against them.
I'm sure JJ will chime in with some chemophobia and pro Law enforcement post and minute as he always does. |
Umm... RogueRose, you seem to be carrying a grudge over my suggestion that a plan to buy listed chemicals anonymously wasn't necessarily legal. There
is a lot of grey area over what is and what is not legal, but some things are black and white. A lot of intelligent and formerly very active chemists
have disappeared from this board, without explanation, and I don't think they all accidentally sniffed too much hydrogen cyanide or found new hobbies.
In my area, the police use a standard questionnaire that involves asking if you have weapons and if there are any hazardous substances in the area.
Not immediately disclosing that you have a weapon to a police officer is a felony. Lying to a police officer is a very serious misdemeanor. If you
simply refuse to answer about whether you have any hazardous substances, they are going to check, and checking for a hazard only requires reasonable
suspicion in many places, not probable cause. (For example: https://www.shouselaw.com/stop-frisk.html)
I generally advise that people avoid being stupid. For example, if you're a felon carrying a stolen gun and pass by a police officer, it might not be
in your best interest to flip him the bird and announce that you have a gun while showing him your waistband. Rather, you should take your stolen gun
to an attorney and ask for advice. 
I'm a little surprised that I would be seen as pro law enforcement, but I see no advantage to arguing otherwise.
[Edited on 5-9-2018 by JJay]
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nimgoldman
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Don't use the bus! Yes the chance of an incident is small BUT if it happens, it's a disaster. So the risk is big because of that. Be aware that you
put in danger not only yourself, but all the people around and threatening whole field of amateur chemistry by possibly making headlines. Would you be
okay with a guy sitting next to you in bus carry - say - a bottle of nitroglycerine?
I would use a taxi and sit with the backpack on my legs, preferably telling the driver beforehand that I carry a lab chemical and glass.
I had some ether shipped to me via DHL - it was 2.5 L bottle sent via DHL and it was super hot part of the summer so I was scared something will
happen along the way. The bottle was stored very well - wrapped in foil many times, then bubble foil, then cardboard, crumpled paper and more foam.
Ideally travel with as small bottle as possible. The bottle should be full and wrapped so it won't splash inside, break or crack easily and use a
robust cap. Reagent bottles come with GL45 screw caps than can be tightened well.
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DavidJR
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For his angina, sure, I'd be okay with that.
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symboom
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Quote" threatening whole field of amateur chemistry by possibly making headlines"due to major accidents in the lab i feel like sone are walking on
eggs shells due to the risk of unwanted attention. cause no one wants to be responsible for ruining it for everyone else due to amature making it in
the news the bad way.
Although storing it in camping fuel might work if questioned
It will just be camping fuel or some automotive liquid for example storing it in another container for instance isopropanol has a smell too.
[Edited on 5-9-2018 by symboom]
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unionised
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What would the general view be about taking (much more volatile) dimethyl ether on public transport?
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symboom
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Unionised try setting up a poll to findout what others think collectively
[Edited on 5-9-2018 by symboom]
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unionised
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I could only set up a poll to find what people think of a set of pre-defined answers.
I want to ask a more open ended question.
What would the general view be about taking (much more volatile) dimethyl ether on public transport?
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