Elemental Phosphorus - 19-3-2017 at 11:47
So today I was at my local Home Depot, and I was in the grout/tile aisle. I saw a small plastic pail that caught my attention. It said 'sulfamic acid
crystals', and they wanted $10 for a pound. Is this a fair price? I know sulfamic acid is used in the best method to methylamine, so picking up a
pound might not be a bad idea. I currently don't have any use for methylamine, but I thought I'd post it for those who need sulfamic acid.
Edit: If the mods don't want info about this up (I heard that it was an unwritten policy not to share suppliers, even though this is just an OTC
chemical), then feel free to delete it.
[Edited on 19-3-2017 by Elemental Phosphorus]
LD5050 - 19-3-2017 at 12:50
I recently picked up the same bottle when I saw it randomly. Is starting with sulfamic acid to methylamine the best way you think? and why do you
think this? I'm not disagreeing I'm just asking because I am curious and actually started a thread looking for the best method to make methylamine
Elemental Phosphorus - 19-3-2017 at 14:50
I don't know what the best route to methylamine is because I have never had need of any, but judging by the chemplayer video, it seems like the
easiest, most OTC method.
JJay - 19-3-2017 at 15:40
It's just sulfamic acid. Like anything else (sulfuric acid, sodium carbonate, aluminum, iron), it can be used for illegal purposes. The vast majority
of purposes for sulfamic acid are legitimate. IMHO the easiest way to make methylamine would be by zinc/HCl reduction of nitromethane (as described by
organikum on some thread somewhere, who, mind you, is in jail for reasons that I assume are related to chemistry), but I only mention this because I
am annoyed when I see a methylamine discussion popping up on an otherwise good thread. Methylamine is viewed as highly suspicious by the general
public. We're all chemists here, so we can roll our eyes and say, "It's just methylamine," but bringing it up repeatedly doesn't give amateur
chemistry a good name.
PirateDocBrown - 19-3-2017 at 16:15
Sulfamic acid has all kinds of uses, which is why they sell it.
It's a strong mineral acid, yet is a solid at RT. That, in itself, is pretty rare.
It's sold in HD as grout cleaner, but it's also in some glass cleaners. I have seen it sold commercially to get the haze off of restaurant coffee
decanters.
I have used it as a route to methylamine sulfate, which has all sorts of perfectly legal uses as well.
As for nitromethane, I'm finding it harder to get lately than methylamine.
Elemental Phosphorus - 19-3-2017 at 16:34
Nitromethane can be ordered by the gallon from ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/190692756364
As for some discussion about 'sulfamic acid is a chemical with many legitimate uses', yes it is, but chemicals have a tendency to be removed from
shelves if abused, so if the mods deem it a bad idea to share sources, then I will not share the sources. It is regretful that our society is this
way, but the DEA has been banning chemicals left and right so caution is important.
JJay - 19-3-2017 at 17:02
The unwritten policy is not really to avoid sharing sources. The unwritten policy is: don't cater to cooks and kewls.