making DMSO

[ancolagon]

I am interested in finding out if there is a relatively easy way to make dmso (in other words, one that does not require the use of a multi-thousand dollar lab). I have a rough idea of what it would look like on paper (what it is made of, some of the precursers, etc) but I ask assistance in the creation of actual plans. Can anyone provide this? A thousand thanks.

[nbk2000]

First post + New Topic = Instant Death.

NBK: With your permission I would like to re-open this topic. Although the idiot was banned for thinking the rules don't apply to him, I still think his topic could be interesting...

<small>[ January 01, 2003, 09:32 AM: Message edited by: Mr Cool ]</small>

[megalomania]

I think this fella satisfies the criterion of first post new topic acceptability. Homemade DMSO is an interesting topic, as a matter of fact I had at one time found a nice procedure that could be adapted for the lab, but sadly I have misplaced that information.

I do know that there are OTC sources of DMSO. I found a bottle at some agriculture store that had an aisle for horse supplies. DMSO is still used as a horse liniment to rub down their sore muscles. Such uses are banned for humans nowadays. The stuff was $4.50 for 90 mL of 99.9% pure DMSO.

I think the best sources of information may be industrial books. Such info could then likely be modified to suit an industrial process. In fact that is probably where I had my information from.

[nbk2000]

Fine, if you want to keep the thread, but I've moved it to the relevant section.

Dimethyl Sulfoxide is produced, if I remember correctly, by oxidation of Dimethyl Sulfate with highly concentrated Hydrogen Peroxide. Dimethyl sulfate was considered for use as a CW, but its extreme sensitivity to water made it degrade into harmless components within moments in damp conditions.

A reading of Sartori's "War Gases" (FTP) will give you both lab, and industrial, scale processes for DMS production. Once you have that, oxidation with Baquacil should complete the trick. :)

Mega, you'd get ripped buying it at that price. I've seen it in pints of USP grade for just over $6 at the ag. store.

[Mr Cool]

OTC, really? Shit, I'll have to go hunting for it... For some reason I thought it was totally banned.

"but its extreme sensitivity to water made it degrade into harmless components within moments in damp conditions."

A little OT, but surely that could be useful in some circumstances, assuming it doesn't degrade too fast to do anything at all?

[nbk2000]

Well, if DMS comes in direct contact with skin, then it causes blistering like mustard gas. But, it breaks down within momenets upon exposure to air, unless the air is dry as a desert.

So, I suppose, if you were using it in a desert enviroment, then it could be useful. Other than that, it'd be better used for making DMSO as a carrier for more efficient CW's.

[MrSamosa]

In "War Gasses," it states that Hydrogen Peroxide reacts with Dimethyl Sulfate to form Methyl Peroxide ( CH3-O-O-CH3 ). Maybe some other oxidizer would work to form DMSO ?

<small>[ January 02, 2003, 03:19 PM: Message edited by: MrSamosa ]</small>

[Rhadon]

You say that diethyl ether is poisonous when inhaled? I can hardly believe this, since it was widely used as an anesthetic.
In order to get a "poisonous effect" you should at least have to apply quantities which require concentrations in the air that are very hard to reach in larger rooms: Even for anesthetizing an adult he / she must inhale about 15 g (!) of diethyl ether.

[nbk2000]

Diethyl Sulphate is toxic too. But Diethyl ether is fairly benign, especially be skin contact.

See, it's the degradation of the DMS in the skin that causes the blistering. It's aborbed through the skin, decomposes from the water content, and forms sulphuric acid in situ.

But perhaps a mix of DMSO and DMS could be used as a psuedo-mustard. Since you can make one from the other, you'd only have to make one in the first place. :)

I may be wrong about the peroxide oxidation. I'm working off old memory here.

[zeocrash]

yeah i've looked up diethyl ether, its listed as strongly narcotic, but it's not anything like a war gas.

[MrSamosa]

Ahh, sorry. That post was made late at night... Diethyl Ether is NOT poisonous. But Dichloroethyl Ether is. oops :( .

Still, going from Diethyl Ether to Dichlorethyl Ether does not seem extremely difficult. Hydrochloric Acid could not be used, as that would react to form Ethyl Chloride and Ethyl Alcohol. Are there any other, readily available, chlorinating agents that could be used perhaps?

I'm not sure if I should continue this topic in this thread, since this thread is about DMSO. But I suppose it its kind of "on topic".