TheNerdyFarmer
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Tert-butyl alcohol
I was watching a video about making potassium metal via magnesium reduction method. In the video they used t butanol and added it to the KOH and Mg
submerged in lamp oil. I was wondering why they did that. Wouldn't it work without it? And if not what would be a good replacement (if any) for the
t-butanol. (i don't have any)
[Edited on 11-12-2016 by TheNerdyFarmer]
[Edited on 11-12-2016 by TheNerdyFarmer]
[Edited on 11-12-2016 by TheNerdyFarmer]
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elementcollector1
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The video's well-known, see the potassium thread in Chemistry in General. The tert-butanol acts as a catalyst, allowing magnesium to reduce potassium
tert-butoxide to potassium metal before being hydrolyzed back to tert-butanol. Only tertiary alcohols seem to work for this reaction.
Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
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TheNerdyFarmer
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Ok thanks.
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NeonPulse
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that's probably my video. I used the lamp oil and T-Butanol. Nurdrages video uses tert amyl alcohol and tetralin. t-pentanol is a good substitute but
harder to find/ more expensive due to people actually drinking it. the T-butanol was relatively easy to find and not too budget busting. the tertiary
alcohols act as the catalyst driving the reaction forward and it must be a tertiary alcohol. primary and secondary alcohols won't work.
it took me about a dozen attempts to get a decent amount of K metal at all. as mentioned previously the "Make potassium metal" thread is a goldmine of
info on the subject.
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TheNerdyFarmer
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Ok thanks you. Can you scale up the reaction while still calling it safe or is it better to do it in small amounts. BTW: Good job on the video. 
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