The Vespiary

The Hive => Chemistry Discourse => Topic started by: lugh on October 21, 2001, 04:03:00 AM

Title: OTC KCN
Post by: lugh on October 21, 2001, 04:03:00 AM
The Siepermann Process for the production of KCN,

Post 201981 (missing)

(lugh: "Cyanide Synthesis", Chemicals & Equipment)
, additionally in British Patent 13,696 of 1889; can be carried out in a black iron pipe with the upper part heated by nichrome wire coil embedded in furnace cement (using clear plastic food wrap to create an air gap for the coil). One simply applies current to the wire to melt the plastic wrapping after the cement has dried. The bottom part of the pipe where the potassium cyanate is decomposed can be raised to red heat by a second coil heating element. It's best to give the iron pipe a coat of furnace cement before proceeding  :)  :)  :)
Title: Re: OTC KCN
Post by: uemura on October 22, 2001, 10:21:00 PM
lugh,
this is nice! The KCN issue comes up from time to time. What Uemura wants to add is a reference to one of his dreams, jim mentioned the same idea in one of the newer threads, but no bee gave any comments to the KCN dream posted in

Post 57287 (missing)

(uemura: "Dreams of a KCN synthesis", Methods Discourse)

Carpe Diem
Title: Re: OTC KCN
Post by: foxy2 on October 23, 2001, 12:09:00 AM
Uemura
That appears to bee THE WAY TO KCN, I didn't commemt because I had no new knowledge to add.  We just need to get a purification scheme worked out and away we go.


Here is the DANGEROUS purification.

Add HCl and pipe HCN gas into Hydroxide solution with a tiny bit of pH indicator.  Go until the hydroxide becomes neutral, then evap and recrystallize for pure NaCN or KCN.

Best done outside when there is a Stiff Breeze!!!


The purification of alkali cyanide melts.    
Electrochim. Acta  (1977),  22(4),  391-3.
  
Abstract
The impurities expected in alkali metal cyanides are discussed and methods for their removal from (K, Na)CN eutectic melts examd.  Room-temp. vacuum-drying combined with melting of the salt with Si powder was the best purification method.  The purity of the melts was evaluated by IR spectroscopy. 


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