Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Mellitic acid

morsagh - 19-8-2015 at 09:26

I wanted to syntetize mellitic acid by reaction of graphite and KMnO4 in KOH but i didn´t get any product after neutralisation of solution and adding Pb(NO3)2. Have you tried someone synthesis of mellic acid from graphite? Are there any other ways?

Boffis - 20-8-2015 at 13:12

Use the search engine! There are at least two threads on mellitic acid covering all possible oxidizing agents and there are lots of references too, including one that covers the use of permanganate as a partial (staged) oxidant after a preliminary oxidation with nitric acid IIRC. But be warned graphite is a tough little b*****d and it only yields up mellitic acid to the very very patient. There are numerous other indirect route discussed too.

Texium - 20-8-2015 at 21:01

Somehow I had never heard of mellitic acid before seeing this thread. Looks pretty neat. Well, I'll be adding it to the list of interesting things that I'd like to try making.

j_sum1 - 20-8-2015 at 21:13

I had never heard of it either. Mellite looks interesting too.
Kind of cool but I rather suspect I don't have the patience to produce it. Quoth Boffis, "graphite is a tough little b*****d and it only yields up mellitic acid to the very very patient."

Texium - 20-8-2015 at 21:21

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  
I had never heard of it either. Mellite looks interesting too.
Kind of cool but I rather suspect I don't have the patience to produce it. Quoth Boffis, "graphite is a tough little b*****d and it only yields up mellitic acid to the very very patient."
Figured I'd try my luck. Graphite's cheap and easy to come by, and I finally found OTC potassium permanganate last week (two pounds for $10 at a resale store!)
I'm really going to need to make a fresh batch of nitric acid though. I have about 1 mL left of my last one, and I keep putting it off because it's too hot to do anything involving additional heat. Summer is not a good time for chemistry when the lab is a garage in Texas. The proposed major El Niño winter is looking pretty good to me right now.