derk19
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bis(chloromethyl)ether from hexamine hydrolysis?
Hi there,
A while ago I made some methylamine.hcl through hydrolysis of hexamine into formaldehyde and ammonium chloride with 30% hcl.
More recently, I read that formaldehyde and hcl should never be in contact because highly toxic and carcinogenic bis(chloromethyl)ether can form.
Is this a real danger in this particular synthesis?
I don't have any symptoms, but I am afraid I might have been exposed to this carcinogen.
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mackolol
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I think it shouldn't be a problem when you add the acid slowly, here is a comment about it from erowid:
"Not when I did it. NO Formaldehyde smell was ever noticed. In fact, the mixing of Hexamine with HCl, if done *slowly* is fairly docile with no real
smell elicited. However when you heat the filtered mixture on the stove, it *definitely* stinks to high heaven, but the smell at first is more like an
*isocyanate*. "
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myr
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I wouldn't worry, as BCME is toxic due to it's reactivity, so it will react with the amine species in solution. It will, at worst, and if it forms,
exist only transiently.
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derk19
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Okay thanks, that's reassuring.
Now I know that if I get lung cancer it will be because of the smoking.
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