No need to apologise Enk, you were right. If you read your quote you were indeed talking about benzamide in which one the products of hydrolysis would be benzoic acid. I was just clarifying for the case of DEET.

'ide' is for two element bonds, or cyanide  KI - potassium iodide, H2S - hydrogen sulfide.

SO4, PO4, NO3, etc, are all called 'polyatomic ions'.  Sulfate, Phosphate, Nitrate.  Upon your endeavors of teaching yourself, I would suggest starting on compound naming and polyatomic ions.  It's an easy concept to understand, and a great starting point.  I believe I have finished a section on my website about understand compound naming and polyatomic ions.  Have a quick look.

I see.

So after re-reading this, I've come to the conclusion that in order to preform a hydrolysis of DEET, I need to leave DEET in a mixture of sulfuric acid and heat at 70C until the two layers are completely mixed.

At which point, add NaOH until the pH is 7. From there, set up the distillation kit, and start distilling until The boiling stops. (Constant temp. of 55C)

But now I have come to another road block...On my condenser, how to I get running water to run through it? I don't have a sink with the type of adapter for tubing that it takes. What do you guys use as your water source?

Water pumps are available at harbor freight for about $5. Mine hasn't broken after about a year of use.

I just added water to the solution and instantly it became a cloudy mixture. Then formed two layers. So I guess for some reason the Mauriac acid and DEET are miscible. Now Its a very white/cloudy mixture of HCL/Water/DEET at which I'm heating with hot water and stirring.

This is in response to what you posted before your last post***


Are you sure your DEET is 100% pure, sounds like there is definitely some propylene glycol or ethylene glycol (common additives to products you put on your skin). Or some other organic co-solvent present in the DEET to make it soluble in hot HCl.

"So I guess for some reason the Mauriac acid and DEET are miscible"

But they are not. There must be an organic co-solvent present in your DEET (which is actually preferable).

"Now Its a very white/cloudy mixture of HCL/Water/DEET at which I'm heating with hot water and stirring."

Before you added the water, when the DEET was in solution you should have just refluxed that!!! Next time just leave it all in solution (it will work out better). Now you may as well reflux the solution from above for some hours and calculate your yield, and then compare it to doing it all in solution.

"I stirred them up and threw it in my microwave for 5 seconds"

WOW, why? If you were trying to emulate 70.9*C (the optimum temp for this hydrolysis) well that was a silly way to go about it! And the reflux is needed for a prolonged period why 5 seconds???

You would have at least needed a heat sink and 5 minute bursts until it was done. As for stirring it with a foil and now hydrolysis is taking place???

"The bottle of DEET I have is 98.11% DEET and 1.89% other ingredients which I doesn't tell me what they are.

So next time just add that bottle to HCL/water and reflux for hours at 55C? Or 70C?


After refluxing, I'll distill it. But that won't be for awhile, whenever I get my distillation kit."

If it for external use insect repellant there will be either propylene or ethylene glycol. At 70.9*C or as close as you can get to 70.9*C. After refluxing you will base and distill when you get your distillation kit.

"Also, I only did it for 5 seconds because I cannot risk it blowing up in my microwave, or the glass breaking, or overflowing."

Then I would suggest not doing any microwave chemistry in your household microwave until you are aware of what you are doing! First you need a heat sink without one you are risking what you described above. Microwaves can really nuke you sensitive chems, without a heat sink the heat produced will go well beyond what you were aiming for.

"If it mixes with the HCL, then how will I know when its time to turn basic and distill?"

Experimentation, do a 12 hour reflux. Base and distill your diethylamine, note your yield. Next time go for 16 hours and note your yield next time 20 hours and note your yield. See were I am going, you will hit a ceiling were even with more time the yield wont increase. And if you are in a good mood once you work out the optimal time come back here and post it! To help anyone else that finds themselves in your position in future (and we did help a bit).

Question edited for reality;

"If I just set a beaker on top of the hot heating device, won't it break the cold glass"

Yes it is a good idea to warm the glass and hotplate up together. But remember that while its not indestructable lab glass is usually borosilicate glass which is indeed more resistant to thermal shocks and so forth.

"And how will I be able to control the temperature, I've read you shouldn't plug them directly into a wall, but instead something else that controls the time the power source is used, etc etc. Is this true?"

That is a good idea for a 16 hour reflux for example, it will turn itself off when finished. If you are worried about power surges etc, dont be I always plug my hotplate/magstirrer straight into the wall. The temperature is controlled via the dial on the front.

NOW GET TO WORK, I am busy! I have some serious research to do! I cant be holding your hand all the way, I have given what you need, Google and Wiki can fill the gaps. If you have a real problem, come back and ask.

Im not using a beaker, but a Erlenmeyer flask. Bad typo.

I'll be sure to look in wiki before posting for now on.