HLiNaK - 3-12-2016 at 16:37
Some Background: I've been lurking on this forum for quite a while (even into my teenage years although rarely) and I have never had
a reason to create an account until now. I have a very small hobbyist chemical lab with some safety equipment such as a respirator, neoprene/nitrile
gloves, lab goggles, and standard glassware. I love experimenting with things (all of it is small scale due to potential dangers) and sometimes
randomly mixing various chemicals with each other to see what kind of reaction they produce (I know this can be very dangerous).
Discovery/Procedure: I had a solution of 31% hydrochloric acid with iron chloride contaminants (Iron(II) chloride). I also had a
solution of ammonium persulfate (unknown concentration) which had no use and thus I mixed them in together. The solution started bubbling for quite a
while and nothing was happening. It was until I came back during the morning that I noticed the greenish yellow color of the iron chloride had
disappeared and what remained was an oily yellow liquid that was insoluble with water. The solution smelled strongly of trichloroamines.
Afterwards: Since Nitrogen trichloride was my first guess at what the chemical was, I didn't take any risk and promptly drowned the
solution in sodioum hydroxide and sodium thiosulfate. I cannot repeat this reaction as I do not have anymore ammonium persulfate, but I'm hoping a
more experienced chemist here can give me some insight.
mayko - 7-12-2016 at 16:26
I could not replicate these observations; however, my ammonium persulfate was waterlogged when I opened the vial, and may have been degraded.