Bedlasky
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Registered: 15-4-2019
Location: Period 5, group 6
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Methanol vapours
Hi.
I plan to make dimethyl oxalate. In first separation step I just let cool ester/methanol mixture to crystallize out dimethyl oxalate. This will be
fitered off and than I'll boil down filtrate little bit, cool it and than add some water to get more oxalate from solution. Than I recrystallize
oxalate from hot methanol.
I will due entire synthesis on balcony. There is 1m tall concrete wall - I am not sure if this isn't barrier for methanol vapours to go out instead in
to our bedroom. Door on blacony must be open because I need elecricity for hot plate. So I am not sure if this synthesis would be safe.
[Edited on 6-7-2020 by Bedlasky]
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Vomaturge
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The vapor is maybe 10% denser than air but would probably be lighter since it would be warm.
I think it's alright, so long as you don't leave the door wide open
The allowed exposure of methanol for 40 hr/week exposure is about .25 gm/m^3, so a little vapor leakage is OK.
I now have a YouTube channel. So far just electronics and basic High Voltage experimentation, but I'll hopefully have some chemistry videos soon. |
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woelen
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If you do this outside on the balcony, then the vapors will disappear very quickly. After your experiment, just leave the door of the bedroom open for
another few tens of minutes. Then you'll be perfectly safe. Methanol vapor is not that toxic.
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mackolol
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All I can tell you about this synthesis, as I have done it, it's just safe. I just dumped it in a beaker and did it as it is without gasmask, googles,
nothing. I didn't smell methanol at all. You can cover the beaker with watchglass or just stopper the flask depending on what are you working with.
The synthesis is just basic and I would rate it as 1 out of 10 in scale of dangerousness. There is no point in overcomplicating it seriously.
You call yourself chemist but are afraid of such things?, how are you gonna perform any different synthesis then... In your set, I think you should be
able to deal even with chlorine safely.
[Edited on 7-7-2020 by mackolol]
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Refinery
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Methanol concentration in body is 2-5g to cause toxic effects. That would require to breath in huge quantities of vapors. Your daily dose of apple
juice can contain as much as 1g of methanol per liter. Ethanol is served as antidote.
More concern has caused the car windshield wipe fluid vapors that enter the car through ventilation.
So I would not be exceedingly concerned, unless you boil methanol in an open vessel in a small room for hours. In that instance, I would first fear
the explosion hazard, though.
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