yourawesomesauce67
infraorbidal
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Before we start,
Quick disclaimer.
Do not consume this compound under any circumstances. It has a high chance of killing you through lethal hyperthermia. The intermediates are also dangerous.
- Phenol is corrosive.
- Nitric acid causes severe burns.
- The final product is an explosive nitrated compound and should be treated with extreme caution, avoiding shock, heat, and friction.
A Guide to Synthesizing 2,4-Dinitrophenol from Aspirin
WHATS DNP
2,4 Dinitrophenol, often abbreviated as DNP, is a compound that causes dose dependent mitochondrial uncoupling. In essence, it converts the body's ATP energy directly into heat. This makes the body's metabolic processes extremely inefficient, forcing it to burn a much larger number of calories to maintain basic functions. The result is a drastic increase in metabolic rate and rapid weight loss. However, this compound is extremely dangerous and potentially lethal. Its dangers were recognized so early that it was banned in many countries starting in the 1930s, notably before lead paint was banned in the 1970s. In addition to its toxicity, DNP is also classified as an explosive compound.
Step 1: Extracting Aspirin from Tablets
To begin, gather the following ingredients and equipment.
- Ingredients and Materials
- Aspirin tablets (325 mg each, 500 per bottle)
- 91% isopropyl alcohol
- Heat source
- Vacuum filtration apparatus
- Beaker
- Filter paper
Start by removing the cotton packaging from the aspirin bottles and adding all the tablets to a beaker. Pour in enough isopropyl alcohol to cover the tablets and begin heating the mixture while stirring. The alcohol will dissolve the aspirin but leave behind the insoluble binders like corn starch and polyethylene glycol. Once the aspirin is dissolved, perform a vacuum filtration to separate the liquid containing the aspirin from the solid binder materials. Finally, boil off the isopropyl alcohol to recover solid aspirin crystals and dry them in a glass dish. Be aware that using 91% isopropanol introduces water, which can cause some of the aspirin to hydrolyze into salicylic acid and vinegar, lowering your yield to around 70%.
Step 2: Converting Aspirin into Salicylic Acid
For this step, you will need the following.
- Ingredients and Materials
- 100 g aspirin from Step 1
- 800 mL water
- 20 mL 31% hydrochloric acid
- Stir bar
- Heat source
Take 100 grams of the extracted aspirin and place it into a 1000 milliliter beaker. Add 800 milliliters of water and 20 milliliters of 31% hydrochloric acid. Place a stir bar into the beaker and apply strong heat with rapid stirring for about two hours. This process completes the hydrolysis of aspirin. After two hours, turn off the heat and allow the solution to cool. As it cools, salicylic acid will precipitate out of the solution and can be collected by vacuum filtration.
Step 3: Decarboxylation to Produce Phenol
This step requires the following equipment and materials.
- Ingredients and Materials
- Salicylic acid from Step 2
- Simple distillation apparatus
- 1000 mL round bottom flask
- 100 mL collection flask
- Heat source
Do not run water through the condenser because phenol has a melting point around 43 degrees Celsius and will solidify inside a cooled condenser, causing a clog. Add the salicylic acid to the round bottom flask and set up the distillation apparatus. Apply strong heat to the flask. Water will distill over first at 100 degrees Celsius. Continue heating until you reach the boiling point of phenol at approximately 181 degrees Celsius, at which point pure phenol will begin to distill over and collect in your flask. For best purity, perform a second distillation on the collected material.
Step 4: Nitrating Phenol to Make 2,4 Dinitrophenol
This step requires careful handling. Gather the following.
- Ingredients and Materials
- 2.5 g purified phenol from Step 3
- 50 mL 95% ethanol
- 12 mL concentrated nitric acid
- Three neck flask with addition funnel and condenser
- Stir plate
- Vacuum distillation apparatus
Begin by adding the ethanol to the three neck flask. Place the nitric acid into the addition funnel. Add the 2.5 grams of phenol to the flask and start stirring rapidly. Slowly add the phenol to the mixture. Once the addition is complete, replace the addition funnel with the condenser and apply gentle heat to reflux the mixture for 90 minutes. After refluxing, allow the mixture to cool. Because DNP is explosive, you must now perform a vacuum distillation to remove the solvents. Distilling under vacuum lowers the boiling points of the solvents, allowing you to remove them without heating the DNP to dryness, which could cause an explosion.
Step 5: Purifying the Final Product
For the final purification, you will need these ingredients.
- Ingredients and Materials
- Crude DNP mixture from Step 4
- Water (50 to 100 mL)
- Sodium hydroxide (100% drain cleaner)
- Hydrochloric acid
- 95% ethanol
- Vacuum filtration apparatus
Start with a vacuum filtration to collect the yellow crystals. Transfer these crystals to a beaker with 50 to 100 milliliters of water. Add sodium hydroxide to convert the DNP into its water soluble sodium salt. Apply gentle heat and stirring until everything dissolves, then perform another vacuum filtration to remove any undissolved impurities. Next, add hydrochloric acid to the clear red solution. The acidification will cause pure DNP to precipitate out of solution, looking like milk being added to coffee. Vacuum filter again to collect these precipitated crystals. For final purification, dissolve the crystals in a minimum amount of 95% ethanol by heating. Once dissolved, remove from heat and allow the solution to cool, then place it in a freezer. The pure DNP will crystallize out and can be collected by a final vacuum filtration. You can confirm its identity by checking its melting point, which should be approximately 108.5 degrees Celsius.
Final Safety Warning
Do not consume this compound under any circumstances. It has a high chance of killing you through lethal hyperthermia. The intermediates are also dangerous.
- Phenol is corrosive.
- Nitric acid causes severe burns.
- The final product is an explosive nitrated compound and should be treated with extreme caution, avoiding shock, heat, and friction.
Quick disclaimer.
Do not consume this compound under any circumstances. It has a high chance of killing you through lethal hyperthermia. The intermediates are also dangerous.
- Phenol is corrosive.
- Nitric acid causes severe burns.
- The final product is an explosive nitrated compound and should be treated with extreme caution, avoiding shock, heat, and friction.
A Guide to Synthesizing 2,4-Dinitrophenol from Aspirin
WHATS DNP
2,4 Dinitrophenol, often abbreviated as DNP, is a compound that causes dose dependent mitochondrial uncoupling. In essence, it converts the body's ATP energy directly into heat. This makes the body's metabolic processes extremely inefficient, forcing it to burn a much larger number of calories to maintain basic functions. The result is a drastic increase in metabolic rate and rapid weight loss. However, this compound is extremely dangerous and potentially lethal. Its dangers were recognized so early that it was banned in many countries starting in the 1930s, notably before lead paint was banned in the 1970s. In addition to its toxicity, DNP is also classified as an explosive compound.
Step 1: Extracting Aspirin from Tablets
To begin, gather the following ingredients and equipment.
- Ingredients and Materials
- Aspirin tablets (325 mg each, 500 per bottle)
- 91% isopropyl alcohol
- Heat source
- Vacuum filtration apparatus
- Beaker
- Filter paper
Start by removing the cotton packaging from the aspirin bottles and adding all the tablets to a beaker. Pour in enough isopropyl alcohol to cover the tablets and begin heating the mixture while stirring. The alcohol will dissolve the aspirin but leave behind the insoluble binders like corn starch and polyethylene glycol. Once the aspirin is dissolved, perform a vacuum filtration to separate the liquid containing the aspirin from the solid binder materials. Finally, boil off the isopropyl alcohol to recover solid aspirin crystals and dry them in a glass dish. Be aware that using 91% isopropanol introduces water, which can cause some of the aspirin to hydrolyze into salicylic acid and vinegar, lowering your yield to around 70%.
Step 2: Converting Aspirin into Salicylic Acid
For this step, you will need the following.
- Ingredients and Materials
- 100 g aspirin from Step 1
- 800 mL water
- 20 mL 31% hydrochloric acid
- Stir bar
- Heat source
Take 100 grams of the extracted aspirin and place it into a 1000 milliliter beaker. Add 800 milliliters of water and 20 milliliters of 31% hydrochloric acid. Place a stir bar into the beaker and apply strong heat with rapid stirring for about two hours. This process completes the hydrolysis of aspirin. After two hours, turn off the heat and allow the solution to cool. As it cools, salicylic acid will precipitate out of the solution and can be collected by vacuum filtration.
Step 3: Decarboxylation to Produce Phenol
This step requires the following equipment and materials.
- Ingredients and Materials
- Salicylic acid from Step 2
- Simple distillation apparatus
- 1000 mL round bottom flask
- 100 mL collection flask
- Heat source
Do not run water through the condenser because phenol has a melting point around 43 degrees Celsius and will solidify inside a cooled condenser, causing a clog. Add the salicylic acid to the round bottom flask and set up the distillation apparatus. Apply strong heat to the flask. Water will distill over first at 100 degrees Celsius. Continue heating until you reach the boiling point of phenol at approximately 181 degrees Celsius, at which point pure phenol will begin to distill over and collect in your flask. For best purity, perform a second distillation on the collected material.
Step 4: Nitrating Phenol to Make 2,4 Dinitrophenol
This step requires careful handling. Gather the following.
- Ingredients and Materials
- 2.5 g purified phenol from Step 3
- 50 mL 95% ethanol
- 12 mL concentrated nitric acid
- Three neck flask with addition funnel and condenser
- Stir plate
- Vacuum distillation apparatus
Begin by adding the ethanol to the three neck flask. Place the nitric acid into the addition funnel. Add the 2.5 grams of phenol to the flask and start stirring rapidly. Slowly add the phenol to the mixture. Once the addition is complete, replace the addition funnel with the condenser and apply gentle heat to reflux the mixture for 90 minutes. After refluxing, allow the mixture to cool. Because DNP is explosive, you must now perform a vacuum distillation to remove the solvents. Distilling under vacuum lowers the boiling points of the solvents, allowing you to remove them without heating the DNP to dryness, which could cause an explosion.
Step 5: Purifying the Final Product
For the final purification, you will need these ingredients.
- Ingredients and Materials
- Crude DNP mixture from Step 4
- Water (50 to 100 mL)
- Sodium hydroxide (100% drain cleaner)
- Hydrochloric acid
- 95% ethanol
- Vacuum filtration apparatus
Start with a vacuum filtration to collect the yellow crystals. Transfer these crystals to a beaker with 50 to 100 milliliters of water. Add sodium hydroxide to convert the DNP into its water soluble sodium salt. Apply gentle heat and stirring until everything dissolves, then perform another vacuum filtration to remove any undissolved impurities. Next, add hydrochloric acid to the clear red solution. The acidification will cause pure DNP to precipitate out of solution, looking like milk being added to coffee. Vacuum filter again to collect these precipitated crystals. For final purification, dissolve the crystals in a minimum amount of 95% ethanol by heating. Once dissolved, remove from heat and allow the solution to cool, then place it in a freezer. The pure DNP will crystallize out and can be collected by a final vacuum filtration. You can confirm its identity by checking its melting point, which should be approximately 108.5 degrees Celsius.
Final Safety Warning
Do not consume this compound under any circumstances. It has a high chance of killing you through lethal hyperthermia. The intermediates are also dangerous.
- Phenol is corrosive.
- Nitric acid causes severe burns.
- The final product is an explosive nitrated compound and should be treated with extreme caution, avoiding shock, heat, and friction.
