Lead Acetate distillation with PAA

Heating dry silver acetate results in acetic anhydride distilling off, according to the admin of the german chemistry forum.

Argh, I could hit myself for not posting this in the acetic anhydride thread! This seems to be a very viable method for smallscale preparation of Ac2O. The silver can be recycled over and over, and you dont even need GAA. Even vinegar would theoretically do the job, of course with extensive boiling down of the silver acetate solution (precipitate Ag2O from a silver nitrate solution with NaOH, filter off, and dissolve in acetic acid).

Too bad the residue is silver and not Ag2O, because silver oxide decomposes so easily, so for recycling, you need to dissolve it in HNO3 and precipitate Ag2O with NaOH.

I would agree wholeheartedly, except for the minor caveat that the chances of the average (on the whole exceptionally paranoid) P2P cook getting hold of chlorinating agents capable of doing the job are somewhere between slim and fuck all. In order for this route to work someone would have to come up with a feasible route to such compounds - with the minor difficulty that the persons most likely to be using the same would be prone to topping themselves in the process. However, given your preference for pro-active Darwinism this may appeal?

PS For those still wondering why I am trying to establish better reported routes to certain compounds, read my posts, for those wondering why I walk so far off the beaten track - I derive no pleasure from the reiteration by rote of what is already known - looking at the literature certain areas of chemistry which are of some interest are improving in leaps and bounds, I don't see why amateur chemistry should stay in the stone age.

[Edited on 23-5-2007 by tupence_hapeny]