poisoninthestain - 23-3-2009 at 19:21
In a given reduction using a salt of mercury and elemental aluminum what are the by products formed?
For example:
aromatic nitrostyrene + GAA + IPA + H20 + Aluminum foil(aluminum oxide + aluminum) + HgCl2 + (basification of sludge with KOH) -> aromatic amine +
aluminum hydroxide + ???
...i'm just wondering and can't figure this out.
After basification two layers became visible. The upper was the amine/IPA somewhat clear layer. Bottom was a grey sludge-like layer.
After decanting the top layer and titrating with con. HCl the solution crystalized into a thick white cake.
I'm just wondering...is this the amine.HCl salt or possibly other products in there as well such as aluminum chloride???
I'm curious and cannot figure this out.
kclo4 - 23-3-2009 at 19:26
Using Al foil normally leaves junk since it is often coated with a thin layer of plastic i believe. Also aluminum chloride is a lewis acid and
hydrolysis into aluminum hydroxide and hydrochloric acid if the conditions are right. normally the solution just needs to be warm for this to happen I
believe.
poisoninthestain - 23-3-2009 at 19:37
I'm just wondering because it will be much easier to purify and isolate the amine.HCL now if it doesn't have any other crystalline solids in it. I can
just run it through a buchner and be done with it.
kclo4 - 23-3-2009 at 19:45
I doubt any of the amine*HCl would have precipitated in that situation, but I don't really know the quantities and everything else you've done here,
so if you are worried about it, just add more water to it in order to dissolve any possible amines that may have precipitated.
btw..I PM'ed you.
[Edited on 24-3-2009 by kclo4]