[christina]

sodium bicarbonate + 2-bromobutane + 2-chlorobutane + H2SO4

I added the sodium bicarbonate to the solution but nothing happened (I know it's supposed to remove the acid) and then I just left it in the conical vial with a teflon stopper and parafin to cover the top of the plastic cover. If you leave that for 1 week will anything happen to the sample of 2-bromobutane, 2-chlorobutane mixture?

Thanks

[Mr Peanut]

Christina

Put your goggles and gloves on and uncork the vial now. If there is H2SO4 present it will react with the carbonate releasing CO2 gas. (possibly blowing up your vial and injuring someone).

[Arkcon]

Christina

Put your goggles and gloves on and uncork the vial now. If there is H2SO4 present it will react with the carbonate releasing CO2 gas. (possibly blowing up your vial and injuring someone).

Try to do it in a hood, with the sash down enough so they're just space for your arms to fit.  That's a good way to release any possible built up pressure, so the spray flies somewhere harmless.. 

If nothing happens, you've been overcautious, which isn't bad, except for "tough guy" chemists pointing and laughing at you.  Don't worry, if they're ever badly hurt by accident, they cry like infants, from all their pent up bravado.

If the stuff sprays out, take it as a lesson, to try and keep basic chemistry in mind, carbonate + acid = CO2 gas.  Even if you didn't notice lots of bubbles, some may have been building.  It's a little counterintuitive, but what you know can sometimes trump what you observe.  Again, here I'm being extra cautious for safeties sake.

[christina]

Christina

Put your goggles and gloves on and uncork the vial now. If there is H2SO4 present it will react with the carbonate releasing CO2 gas. (possibly blowing up your vial and injuring someone).

Try to do it in a hood, with the sash down enough so they're just space for your arms to fit.  That's a good way to release any possible built up pressure, so the spray flies somewhere harmless.. 

If nothing happens, you've been overcautious, which isn't bad, except for "tough guy" chemists pointing and laughing at you.  Don't worry, if they're ever badly hurt by accident, they cry like infants, from all their pent up bravado.

If the stuff sprays out, take it as a lesson, to try and keep basic chemistry in mind, carbonate + acid = CO2 gas.  Even if you didn't notice lots of bubbles, some may have been building.  It's a little counterintuitive, but what you know can sometimes trump what you observe.  Again, here I'm being extra cautious for safeties sake.

Uh-Oh... I won't be able to even enter the lab untill next week...so...hopefully it doesn't expode in the refridgerator.  (I was told by my lab professor to just cover it and put it in the fridge  ) I'm just afraid of what will happen when I try to open it...assuming it doesn't do what you said.

I know that it produces CO2 gas but when I added the sodium bicarbonate solution, I was surprised that no bubbles at all.
I forgot to mention that the reaction was actually nucleophilic substitution reaction where we added the H2SO4 -nucleophilic (Cl & Br) and the alcohol previously named, then heated. Then the lower aq layer was removed and the top organic layer was retained.

But we either used 1-butanol or 2-butanol to react with the Cl and Br nucleophile solution.
I used the 2-butanol and there were no bubbles at all, this could mean that the sulfuric acid was mostly in the aq layer that was removed, right?

The 1-butanol however, had a lot of bubbling going on.

oh and when I asked whether anything would happen I was refering to the compound 2-bromobutane & 2-chlorobutane. (would it react with the sodium bicarbonate in a chemical reaction, thereby creating a side reaction?)

Thanks

[christina]

anyone know if sodium bicarbonate can react with 2-bromobutane and 2-chlorobutane if left together for awhile?