I had this dream last night, that needs to be explained to me.
In the dream I put 200 ml of DCM in a beaker and added 50g of NaNO2, 50g of dry MgSO4, 15ml of ethanol and 40ml of 80% acetic acid.
This was stirred every now and then for 10 mins. Then 15ml of 30% HCl was added in 3 portions with some stirring.
No evolution of any gas. After two days the salts were filtered out, the filtrate washed 3x with water, dried with MgSO4 and distilled.
When all the DCM had distilled over there was still a little liquid and some chunks of MgSO4 left in the flask. The heat was turned up and the liquid boiled, producing a smoky misty vapour. I really had to scorch the flask to get a couple of ml of it past the vigreux. Thermometer said 90C at most, but was going up and down like a yo-yo, because so little vapour made it to the condenser.
So there I was, just before waking up, with about 2ml of substance X, which I hoped, but seriously doubt, to be EtNO2.
How could I go about finding out what it is?
Hansje high in proteine and fibre!
