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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Fastlane51 on October 09, 2009, 02:14:59 PM

Title: Chloroform Synthesis from methanol?
Post by: Fastlane51 on October 09, 2009, 02:14:59 PM
Is this possible?
Does anyone know of any good scholarly journals on this

Im doing a research paper on the preparation of alkyl hallides from an alcohol and i was wondering if you could initiate chloroform synthesis by starting out with methanol?
Title: Re: Chloroform Synthesis from methanol?
Post by: Fastlane51 on October 09, 2009, 02:23:39 PM
Either from methanol or a methan-triol if that can be done- please someone help me lol
I want to incorporate a pharmaceutical application to the preparation of an alkyl halide from an alcohol
Title: Re: Chloroform Synthesis from methanol?
Post by: Arctic-Nation on October 09, 2009, 03:46:35 PM
According to the literature (Wikipedia ;)), chloroform is commercially produced by the conversion of methanol into chloromethane using HCl, followed by radical halogenation using chlorine gas.

Could you share with us what exactly your goal is? For a simple conversion of alcohol into haloalkane, thionyl chloride or phosphorous pentachloride or trichloride are very reliable and easy to use.
Title: Re: Chloroform Synthesis from methanol?
Post by: Fastlane51 on October 09, 2009, 05:23:55 PM
Quote from: Arctic-Nation on October 09, 2009, 03:46:35 PM
According to the literature (Wikipedia ;)), chloroform is commercially produced by the conversion of methanol into chloromethane using HCl, followed by radical halogenation using chlorine gas.

Could you share with us what exactly your goal is? For a simple conversion of alcohol into haloalkane, thionyl chloride or phosphorous pentachloride or trichloride are very reliable and easy to use.

Well my goal is to show that chloroform can be synthesized with a methanol + HCl conversion or a rubbing alcohol + bleach reaction...either or...pick you poison
I want to cite some substantial data to put on a formal pre-laboratory paper...my teacher is ridiculously hard sooo it needs to be near perfect.
Title: Re: Chloroform Synthesis from methanol?
Post by: KritikalMass on October 09, 2009, 05:41:03 PM
Quote from: Arctic-Nation on October 09, 2009, 03:46:35 PM
According to the literature (Wikipedia ;)), chloroform is commercially produced by the conversion of methanol into chloromethane using HCl, followed by radical halogenation using chlorine gas.

Could you share with us what exactly your goal is? For a simple conversion of alcohol into haloalkane, thionyl chloride or phosphorous pentachloride or trichloride are very reliable and easy to use.

Where on Wikipedia are you seeing this? I am seeing this "In industry, chloroform is produced by heating a mixture of chlorine and either chloromethane or methane." And this "The archaic industrial route to chloroform involved the reaction of acetone (or ethanol) with sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite, known as the haloform reaction."
Title: Re: Chloroform Synthesis from methanol?
Post by: Arctic-Nation on October 09, 2009, 06:08:50 PM
On the chloromethane page.