Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Acetone and Hypochlorite

Helpme - 25-5-2007 at 11:23

Does anyone know how adding Acetone decomposes the excess hypochlorite after a treatment of sodium hypochlorite solution?

woelen - 25-5-2007 at 11:46

Do an internet search on the "haloform" reaction. Chloroform is formed at high pH. At much lower pH, chloroacetone (causes strong tear production in the eyes) is formed.

Helpme - 25-5-2007 at 12:05

I see if you do a Haloform reaction, (using sodium hypochlorite as the source of both base and chlorine?) you get a carboxyllic acid and CCl3-, or RCOO- and chloroform, but then when you add acetone, after the chloroform is expelled, how does the acetone destroy the exess hypochlorite?

Helpme - 25-5-2007 at 12:16

Oh, the acetone and the NaOCl go through another Haloform reaction?

Helpme - 25-5-2007 at 12:24

So you get propanoic acid and chloroform again? Where did the -OH come from to make the acid?

Nerro - 25-5-2007 at 12:36

http://www.organic-chemistry.org/namedreactions/haloform-rea...

Google is your friend, UTFSE! duh...

Sauron - 25-5-2007 at 19:41

How about DETRITUS?

There's an entire forum library for answers to basic questios like the mechanism of the haloform reaction.

Read Gattermann, read Vogel, read Cohen.