Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Selling your product.

beastmaster - 16-4-2010 at 18:04

I recently bid on 500ml of chloroform on e-bay. I started and ended at 25.00 dollars. Its up to 115.00 now. So I had this great idea. Could I sell chloroform I made on e-bay? Or would I be violating some law. Just curious. Thanks.
beast.

Magpie - 16-4-2010 at 18:21

I don't know why you couldn't sell it. Unless you can prove otherwise I would advertise it as technical grade, however.

I wonder why it has become so hard to get all of a sudden. Post Apple will only sell it to businesses/institutions and Daigger no longer carries it.

Damn, I knew I should have bought some from Daigger when I had the chance here about a year ago. But really, I seldom need it and I can make it, though it is a bit of a PITA.

beastmaster - 16-4-2010 at 20:35

Yeah, it just sold for 137.00 for 500ml. unbelievable. It is kind of a pain to make but not hard and if you distilled it I don't see why it wouldn't be tech. grade at least.
I just wonder if that was a one time thing or not? Hum.

1281371269 - 17-4-2010 at 13:41

Watch some other auctions, if you can find any. eBay does have freak sales from time to time

Magpie - 17-4-2010 at 15:07

Why not make 100 mL and see if it sells. If not you'll have it for your own stock.

bahamuth - 17-4-2010 at 18:20

WOW, and I have unlimited supply of Bligh&Dyer waste, I distill it through a 90cm vigreux and only collect chloroform bp fraction.

Do people really pay that much for it...? If I bother I could collect 10 Liter easily, so If anyone in Norway or close need some cheap let me know and we could make a deal.

mnick12 - 17-4-2010 at 18:32

Magpie,
I have noticed the same thing, almost all of my suppliers are not selling it anymore or if they are it is only to buissnesses and institutions only. Does anyone have any idea why this is?
I dont think there anything illegal one can do with chloroform besides knocking somone out, and if that is their concern they should outlaw bats, fists, and anyother blunt objects.
I dont really use chloroform that much since it can usually be substituted with DCM wich is much cheaper. But a while ago I bought 250ml from chemsavers and it was like 46.00!:o
I think next time I'll just go ahead and cut off my arm and send it them. I just dont get it, CHCl3 should be dirt cheap all you need is methane and chlorine.
Bah enough ranting, back to my origonal question does anyone know why it is so hard to get/ expensive in the US?

UnintentionalChaos - 17-4-2010 at 19:09

Quote: Originally posted by mnick12  
Magpie,
I have noticed the same thing, almost all of my suppliers are not selling it anymore or if they are it is only to buissnesses and institutions only. Does anyone have any idea why this is?
I dont think there anything illegal one can do with chloroform besides knocking somone out, and if that is their concern they should outlaw bats, fists, and anyother blunt objects.
I dont really use chloroform that much since it can usually be substituted with DCM wich is much cheaper. But a while ago I bought 250ml from chemsavers and it was like 46.00!:o
I think next time I'll just go ahead and cut off my arm and send it them. I just dont get it, CHCl3 should be dirt cheap all you need is methane and chlorine.
Bah enough ranting, back to my origonal question does anyone know why it is so hard to get/ expensive in the US?


Because it can be made from nothing but bleach and acetone, which are readily available, it is a commonly used extraction solvent among cooks, and also for those trying to isolate alkaloids, in preference to say, ether, which is harder to obtain in quantity.

As a result, "recipes" may have chloroform specified, and if you have no idea what the actual chemistry is, you'll go out of your way to get chloroform.

[Edited on 4-18-10 by UnintentionalChaos]

unionised - 18-4-2010 at 04:55

I think chloroform is a scheduled substance under the poisons act. I'd not want to be caught selling it.

starman - 19-4-2010 at 04:37

I can confirm that these high prices on ebay have been going on for some time.Sure its easy enough from bleach and acetone for say 50ml,by the litre a different matter however.
You could always have it batch tested by a contract lab for purity,at least initially.

rrkss - 24-4-2010 at 21:19

It could have to do with its environmental impact and laws relating to its disposal. Also its gotten a lot of bad press lately since it was used as a murder weapon in the Caley Anthony case.

JohnWW - 25-4-2010 at 00:38

You could see if you get your hands on some substitute for CHCl3 of comparable boiling-point and chemical properties, such as CCl4 (formerly used in large quantities in fire extinguishers and dry-cleaning), CH2Cl2 (used in large amounts in paint-strippers), CF2Cl2, and CH3CCl3 (used in large quantities in dry-cleaning until recently, and as a thinner for "Twink" correction fluid).

[Edited on 25-4-10 by JohnWW]