Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Best way to get rid of hypochlorite?

Random - 11-7-2013 at 21:01

If I was to attemp a hoffman rearrangement of benzamide to aniline, there would be still some hypochlorite present if I used excess. I read that aniline zinc chloride double salt is insoluble (I think in encyclopedia of purification of reagents or something like that) and is a good way to purify aniline. So I would acidify the solution, but wouldn't want to form any chlorine.

What would be the best way to get rid of hypochlorite in solution?

AndersHoveland - 11-7-2013 at 21:09

H2O2 would probably work. It reacts with hypochlorite to form O2 and NaCl.

H2O2 typically does not oxidize amines very readily, although in some situations it can.

bfesser - 11-7-2013 at 21:13

Sorry, I'm having a hell of a time of it tonight. Too tired, I think...

Random - 11-7-2013 at 21:16

Haha no worries bfesser :P


Anders, any other alternatives to H2O2? I have very old 3% solution only and I guess it's actually like 100% H2O by now.

Justin Blaise - 11-7-2013 at 21:18

Thiosulfates will reduce hypochlorite, but I am unsure whether or not they react with aniline.

bfesser - 11-7-2013 at 21:26

Please tell me I at least put this thread back in the right place?

Random - 11-7-2013 at 21:33

I don't know bfesser, Beginnings or General Chem forum.. anything works for me. It's not like the thread is going to get lost somewhere;)

Justin, I have considered this yet it will still release SO2 on acidification. I think I read somewhere that sulfur reacts with hypochlorite so I could just filter excess but I am not sure. Don't want to make any H2S.

Fantasma4500 - 12-7-2013 at 06:18

thinking about removing oxygen from compounds one thing comes to mind...
CO + Fe2O3 > Fe + CO2
PLAUSIBLY this could work the same way with NaClO
ammonia is what i usually use to remove acidic vapours, but you might not want to open a bottle of ammonia anywhere near NaClO as trace amounts of hydrazine can be formed along with alot of chloramines

ScienceSquirrel - 12-7-2013 at 09:30

The reaction of sodium hypochlorite with hydrogen peroxide goes via singlet oxygen. This is noticeable as the mixed solution is a much more powerful oxidiser than the two reagents apart and under certain conditions chemiluminescence can be observed.
Singlet oxygen may well chew up your aniline.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19071662

http://www1.chem.leeds.ac.uk/delights/texts/expt_27.html