Question

Short answer: You are working a lab that has a very toxic compound with a melting point of 145˚C. It is sitting on the bench near another bottle of a compound that also melts at 145˚C. In between the two bottle is a large spill of powder. How might you identify if the spilled compound is the very toxic compound or the other one? Briefly explain a strategy, and the chemical reason theory behind it.

Answer 1

Record the following seperately for toxic compound, spilled powder and for another bottle.

1. Solubility

2. physical appaearance (color of the compounds, whether crystalline or amorphous)

3. refractive index

4. Infrared spectrum

5. ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra

6. optical rotation value

Now compare spilled powder data with toxic compound and another bottle compound, then one of the dat should match with either toxic compound or another bottle compound.

This way we can say that the spilled powder belongs to either toxic compound or another bottle compound.

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