Sciencemadness Discussion Board - How to tell if this is Pentaerythritol

How to tell if this is Pentaerythritol

insutama - 13-5-2015 at 08:41

I purchased some Pentaerythritol on ebay and when it came in the mail the label said potassium iodide. I messaged the shipper and he said he just changed the label so customs wouldnt stop the package but i dont know if i beleve him so can somone tell me if there is a way to test for either potassium iodide or Pentaerythritol C5H12O4. Here is a picture of the product any help would be greatly appreciated.

macckone - 13-5-2015 at 09:09

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home...

Relabeling is common when receiving materials from overseas.
I receive a lot of things labelled with things like computer part and
sodium chloride when they are obviously anything but that.
Himalayan salt seems to be popular right now as well.

Praxichys - 13-5-2015 at 09:11

Changing it to KI would be just as suspicious as pentaerythritol. Maybe worse - PE is undoubtedly for use in explosives, and KI is used to make methamphetamine.

Either way, it's easy to test. Put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide mixed with HCl on it. If you get stinky black I2, it's KI. Otherwise, not much will happen.

From experience, that doesn't look like KI. Don't take my word for it, but KI is usually small, dense crystals.

insutama - 13-5-2015 at 10:39

ya i sent them a picture and they said that this is indeed the ,Pentaerythritol

Dr.Bob - 13-5-2015 at 11:37

You should taste it and see if it is sweet or salty...

KI won't burn in a fire, PE will burn or char at least.

The better thing would be to look up some properties of PE and see it if matches them, MP, solubility, density, etc.

The overseas people can lie on customs forms as they know that the US cannot come arrest them easily. It is common to get stuff from overseas with ludicrous customs declarations, like "Children's toys" or computer parts for chemicals, scientific equipment or even more dangerous stuff.

insutama - 13-5-2015 at 11:46

is Pentaerythritol sweet or salty ?

Hawkguy - 13-5-2015 at 14:00

Its a sugar

insutama - 13-5-2015 at 16:50

Perfect this stuff is sweet

Dr.Bob - 14-5-2015 at 04:26

And if they shipped arsenic trioxide by mistake, it will have a bitter, metallic taste, at least until you die...

TGT - 14-5-2015 at 05:37

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for the pentaerythritol and for what weight?

TGT

Hawkguy - 14-5-2015 at 06:14

And uh, hey, just out of, uh, curiousity, I mean erhmmm, which seller did you buy from? For research purposes...

Bert - 14-5-2015 at 07:52

You know that member tomholm's company sells this? Shipped legitimately, and properly marked?!

http://www.elementalscientific.net/store/scripts/prodList.as...

Hawkguy - 14-5-2015 at 10:18

But does it ship to Canada? I feel like Pentaerythritol will be stopped at the border. It seems like the only good way to send stuff is as 'cocoa puffs' or the like...

Loptr - 14-5-2015 at 11:21

Is pentaerythritol really as much on the radar as this thread seems to imply? I know that it is used in the paint and resin industry.

I now do see that it is on the TSCA list, so you might actually have some questions tossed your way. I think the main reason everyone is so cautious with this one and because you know what its going to be used for, but it has legitimate uses in industry, so I am not sure it would get as much attention as one would think...

I could be completely wrong in my assumption, so your mileage may vary.

insutama - 15-5-2015 at 11:50

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/281487199656?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l...

thats were i got it

insutama - 15-5-2015 at 11:53

it probally would get stopped at the boarder thats why he labeled it as aquarium potassium iodide i never realized it was even a restricted chem but it must be if he has to label it as something different. i only intend to use it as a sweetener

1 pound will last me a life time with the tiny amounts i would be experimenting with in fact if i could of just bought 100 grams that would have been more than enough but all i could find was a pound.

EDIT: Looks like they now have smaller amounts you can buy

[Edited on 15-5-2015 by insutama]

NedsHead - 15-5-2015 at 19:07

I really hope you didn't ingest a product advertised as (A) shipped as (B) without considering option (C) none of the above. I really hope you're not that careless. It's probably just as dangerous to determine if it's pentaerythritol by nitrating the entire pound and attempt to initiate it with a hammer, which I'm sure you wouldn't do

Etaoin Shrdlu - 16-5-2015 at 14:23

Quote: Originally posted by Loptr

I now do see that it is on the TSCA list,

Every chemical used in manufacturing in the US is on the TSCA list.

tomholm - 12-6-2015 at 19:54

Quote: Originally posted by Bert

You know that member tomholm's company sells this? Shipped legitimately, and properly marked?!

http://www.elementalscientific.net/store/scripts/prodList.as...

I'm a little confused by this discussion. As far as I can tell, Pentaerythritol is a non-regulated chemical and can be shipped about anywhere. In contrast, Pentaerythritol tetranitrate is highly explosive and heavily regulated. Cannot be readily shipped and Elemental Scientific does not sell it.