Hello guys,
I'm wondering how to make nitric acid at home
I thought KNO3 + H2SO4 = KHSO4 + HNO3
Please tell me how dangerous and toxic,and complicated this process is.Is there any other ways to make nitric acid,not using precursors.
What I actually need is to dissolve mercury,only way I know is with nitric acid.
Tell me if there is others way to dissolve mercury,I heard mercury dissolves in concentrated H2SO4.
Thanks for help.ScienceSquirrel - 19-5-2011 at 06:58
This is organic chemistry so this thread will almost certainly be moved.
Nitric acid is a walk in the park compared with mercury nitrate, which is soluble in water and extremely toxic.
It is also a Schedule 1 poison in the United Kingdom.
I would not do mercury chemistry at home. In my opinion it is far too dangerous.
Most professional laboratories only use mercury or mercury compounds if there is no alternative.oldirty - 19-5-2011 at 07:19
I need something that can dissolve mercury liquid,you know one from old thermometers,sulfuric acid wouldn't work ? what conditions should be kept ?
Or anyone can recommend website that sells Hg salts preferably (no3),ones that sells without license.
Anyway is Hg salts precursors ?
P.s. sorry for English ..hissingnoise - 19-5-2011 at 07:49
Mercury is dissolved by oxidising acids so H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> must be hot, concentrated!
Even dilute (>5%) cold nitric acid will dissolve Hg to form the mercurous(I) compound but I would heed SS's timely warning if I were you -
all mercury compounds are toxic, some even by contact!
If the fulminate is your target then extensive reading on the subject is pretty much essential . . .
[edit]
The reaction of Hg(NO<sub>3</sub><sub>2</sub> with EtOH is
extremely vigorous, producing copious quantities of toxic gasses!
[Edited on 19-5-2011 by hissingnoise]oldirty - 19-5-2011 at 07:59
hissingnoise what you mean by hot?92-94% H2SO4 is enough ?
If >5% would work,I think something like pH minus would work?Or can you recommend anything else that would dissolve mercury that can be bought OTC?
I know how toxic mercury is..hissingnoise - 19-5-2011 at 08:11
Just I know how to handle it and have conditions to work with it,so is there any products that sold OTC that contain nitric acid with % enough to
dissolve mercury,all I can think of is pH-minus,but I can't find any that tells % of nitric acid ..ScienceSquirrel - 19-5-2011 at 08:42
You are asking some naive questions that indicate a lack of the knowledge and experience needed to work with mercury compounds.
Handling mercury salts safely on a preparative scale requires a good fume hood and a decontamination and disposal strategy.
I would not handle mercury compounds in my shed or garden.
They are just too hazardous.oldirty - 19-5-2011 at 08:50
Well I have fume hood.Yes I know my knowledge of chemistry is not best but,can you just tell me what products contains nitric acid that would dissolve
mercury.Which sold OTCScienceSquirrel - 19-5-2011 at 09:12
Why do you want to dissolve mercury?oldirty - 19-5-2011 at 09:17
For amalgation...ScienceSquirrel - 19-5-2011 at 09:29
An amalgam of what?hissingnoise - 19-5-2011 at 10:07
So! You have the metal, but before using it to form the amalgam, you're going to convert it into one of its salts . . .
Er, WTF!
Neil - 19-5-2011 at 10:17
You'd use a Mercury salt to coat copper for illegal gold mining. Of course you're totally uninterested in making an aluminum amalgam... oldirty - 19-5-2011 at 10:57
Im interested in making aluminum amalgam nothing more.I need aluminum amalgam for some reduction.DJF90 - 19-5-2011 at 11:04
Yea course you do. I suggest you give up before you end up poisoning either yourself or others. How about making some pretty copper sulfate crystals
instead?oldirty - 19-5-2011 at 11:19
Wow guys I can't believe you are so funny
Are you just trolling me or what ?
I worked before with Hg(II) dehydrated and now im out of it .. Anyone could really help instead of trolling me.DJF90 - 19-5-2011 at 11:29
Because you need aluminium amalgam for what kind of reduction I wonder? You seem so clueless about whole situation that I dont think its really all
that safe you playing with soluble mercury salts... perhaps you can prove otherwise. mr.crow - 19-5-2011 at 11:29
No, you're trolling ushissingnoise - 19-5-2011 at 11:32
"Out of it?" Guess what? I'm tripping . . .
oldirty - 19-5-2011 at 11:36
P2NPhissingnoise - 19-5-2011 at 11:42
Whatever!
I'm neutral on cooks .
Haven't been into ecstasy in years . . .
oldirty - 19-5-2011 at 11:44
Comon guys help me stop trollinDJF90 - 19-5-2011 at 11:51
Nope, not touching that one with a 20ft barge pole...hissingnoise - 19-5-2011 at 11:53
I'd say this is headed for the dreaded big D
ScienceSquirrel - 19-5-2011 at 13:53
You have not been honest with us.
Your intention is to react mercury with an acid to make a mercury salt.
You will use that mercury salt to activate aluminium to reduce a nitroalkene to an amphetamine.
I am not judging you but I am not going to help you.
It depends on where you live but there is a stack load of crimes there where I live.
<sub>2</sub> with EtOH is
extremely vigorous, producing copious quantities of toxic gasses!
