Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Created a compound unintentionally; any idea on what it is?

Velzee - 28-8-2015 at 17:23

Here's the story;
A little 1,3 propanediol (~2mL) was placed into a plastic bottle, along with about 3mL of ~3% H2O2, then I forgot about it.

In a graduated cylinder was left a little (~1mL) solution of tetraaminecopper II sulfate + rubbing alcohol+ NH3 and possibly some Cu(OH)2.

Mistaking the first solution with water, I emptied the contents into the cylinder, immediately forming a grayish-green solution that bubble heavily and became warm. This is what it looks like:

DYveSTR.jpg - 398kB

Any ideas on what I made?

EDIT: It appears that the reaction occurs even if the 1,3 propanediol is removed.

[Edited on 8/29/2015 by Velzee]

Nicodem - 29-8-2015 at 02:08

A Fenton oxidation of ammonia and 2-propanol gives mostly nitrogen in the first case, and acetone and its further oxidation products in the second case. Similarly, the Fenton oxidation of 1,3-propanediol gives a complex mixture of oxidation products.

By the way, you obviously did not create any compound, you just observed reactions with a visible outcome. "Creating" a compound means to synthesize it, which includes the reaction and isolation of a substance pure enough for a characterization.

szuko03 - 29-8-2015 at 06:54

I am all for experimentation and discovery and wished I had started younger but I think you would accomplish more by getting a beginners text book and doing some basic reactions as they are written in the text book. With all the literature and simple reactions that will solidify your understanding why not start there? That is the one thing i feel I did right was read read read read for years before I had the means to do anything, not bashing just sharing my past :)

Maybe I will post this on all of the really amateur questions just because so much of science is recognizing things from a previous experience it is amazing how easy "chemistry 101" is when you can identify acids and bases. I am being serious, my understanding of chemistry when i was 18 would have been insane had I had a place like this.

[Edited on 29-8-2015 by szuko03]

Amos - 29-8-2015 at 10:28

Quote: Originally posted by szuko03  
I am all for experimentation and discovery and wished I had started younger but I think you would accomplish more by getting a beginners text book and doing some basic reactions as they are written in the text book. With all the literature and simple reactions that will solidify your understanding why not start there? That is the one thing i feel I did right was read read read read for years before I had the means to do anything, not bashing just sharing my past :)

Maybe I will post this on all of the really amateur questions just because so much of science is recognizing things from a previous experience it is amazing how easy "chemistry 101" is when you can identify acids and bases. I am being serious, my understanding of chemistry when i was 18 would have been insane had I had a place like this.

[Edited on 29-8-2015 by szuko03]


It sounds like the OP was just mixing two waste solutions either to see what happened or just to save space in one container.

Velzee - 29-8-2015 at 11:02

Quote: Originally posted by Amos  
Quote: Originally posted by szuko03  
I am all for experimentation and discovery and wished I had started younger but I think you would accomplish more by getting a beginners text book and doing some basic reactions as they are written in the text book. With all the literature and simple reactions that will solidify your understanding why not start there? That is the one thing i feel I did right was read read read read for years before I had the means to do anything, not bashing just sharing my past :)

Maybe I will post this on all of the really amateur questions just because so much of science is recognizing things from a previous experience it is amazing how easy "chemistry 101" is when you can identify acids and bases. I am being serious, my understanding of chemistry when i was 18 would have been insane had I had a place like this.

[Edited on 29-8-2015 by szuko03]


It sounds like the OP was just mixing two waste solutions either to see what happened or just to save space in one container.


You're correct

aga - 29-8-2015 at 13:11

Quote:
any idea on what it is?

Nope. Not a clue.

Velzee - 29-8-2015 at 13:28

Quote: Originally posted by aga  
Quote:
any idea on what it is?

Nope. Not a clue.


It leaves behind a material of the same color, but the original solution changed to a light blue color(as opposed to a deep purple-blue color of the original tetraaminecopper (ii) sulfate solution). The other solutions(both with and without the 1,3 propanediol) have not gained the same color as the the one described above.


336SfIx.jpg - 107kB

aga - 29-8-2015 at 14:21

Is it the Philosophers' Stone (blue/green Liquid version) ?

If this is a Test, then i certainly Fail.

It is unlikely that the Best people on this website will even bother to comment, as what you've done is just mix random quantities of different things.

There is no Plan, no Idea - nothing.

You may as well ask 'What is This ?' when you piss in a bucket of frogspawn.

CharlieA - 29-8-2015 at 17:18

Quote: Originally posted by szuko03  
I am all for experimentation and discovery and wished I had started younger but I think you would accomplish more by getting a beginners text book and doing some basic reactions as they are written in the text book. With all the literature and simple reactions that will solidify your understanding why not start there? That is the one thing i feel I did right was read read read read for years before I had the means to do anything, not bashing just sharing my past :)

Maybe I will post this on all of the really amateur questions just because so much of science is recognizing things from a previous experience it is amazing how easy "chemistry 101" is when you can identify acids and bases. I am being serious, my understanding of chemistry when i was 18 would have been insane had I had a place like this.


Right on!

CharlieA - 29-8-2015 at 17:22

Aga, I'm sure one of your suggestions is accurate!

Velzee - 29-8-2015 at 18:34

Quote: Originally posted by aga  
Is it the Philosophers' Stone (blue/green Liquid version) ?

If this is a Test, then i certainly Fail.

It is unlikely that the Best people on this website will even bother to comment, as what you've done is just mix random quantities of different things.

There is no Plan, no Idea - nothing.

You may as well ask 'What is This ?' when you piss in a bucket of frogspawn.


Please, please leave out sarcasm. I want to learn from this forum, not be insulted by it.

aga - 30-8-2015 at 00:58

Quote: Originally posted by Velzee  
Please, please leave out sarcasm. I want to learn from this forum, not be insulted by it.

Fair enough.

You got lucky with Nicodem (one of the best) already telling you what might have happened.

To identify what is in your mixture you'd need very expensive anlysis equipment and most people don't have $500,000 worth of lab gear.

One of the first things to learn is to not just mix up random chemicals hoping to get any useful results.

Pick a chemical you Want to synthesise, find a procedure for that, then follow that procedure and see what the result is.

If it fails, then many people here will be willing & able to help you learn.

E.g. try making pure tetrachlorocuprate CuCl4 crystals from your copper sulphate and some NaCl.

CuCl4 might not be a sexy chemical to make, however you'll need a couple of important practical skills to achieve it.

j_sum1 - 30-8-2015 at 02:03

Quote: Originally posted by aga  


E.g. try making pure tetrachlorocuprate CuCl4 crystals from your copper sulphate and some NaCl.

CuCl4 might not be a sexy chemical to make, however you'll need a couple of important practical skills to achieve it.

Nitpick. You missed the charge.
(And I get to cite our very own wiki that I have been reading a bit lately.)

[Edited on 30-8-2015 by j_sum1]