Turning paint thinner into cherry soda
NileRed・35 minutes read
The creator attempts to turn paint thinner into cherry soda by extracting toluene from it, converting it into cherry flavor using chemical reactions. Despite initial failures and disappointingly low yields, the project eventually succeeds in creating a cherry soda comparable to commercial products, reaffirming the creator's ingenuity and determination.
Insights
- The creator aims to transform paint thinner, containing toluene, into cherry soda by extracting toluene, converting it to benzaldehyde, and ultimately creating a cherry flavor.
- Despite initial setbacks and confusion due to impurities and misidentification of benzyl chloride instead of benzaldehyde, the creator successfully purifies benzaldehyde using sodium bisulfite, achieving a pure form suitable for consumption, leading to the creation of a successful cherry soda comparable to commercial counterparts.
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Recent questions
How can toluene be converted into cherry flavor?
By using the Étard reaction method.
What is the purpose of using molecular sieves in the process?
To remove water from toluene.
What is the significance of the Étard complex in the extraction process?
It is isolated, purified, and degraded to extract benzaldehyde.
How is the purity of benzaldehyde confirmed in the process?
Through an H-NMR test.
What is the final step in creating cherry soda from benzaldehyde?
Carbonating the mixture.
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Summary
00:00
Turning Paint Thinner into Cherry Soda
- The video is sponsored by Opera and the creator wants to turn paint thinner into cherry soda.
- Paint thinners contain toluene, similar to benzaldehyde used in cherry flavor.
- The goal is to extract toluene from paint thinner and convert it into cherry flavor.
- Paint thinner is obtained from a local hardware store, advertised as toluene-based.
- A test is done to ensure the purity of toluene by checking for sulfur impurities.
- Toluene is purified using molecular sieves to remove water.
- The Étard reaction method is chosen to convert toluene to benzaldehyde.
- Chromyl chloride is used in the reaction, added carefully to toluene and DCM solvent.
- The reaction is cooled to prevent explosion, and chromyl chloride is added slowly.
- The reaction mixture is decomposed using sodium sulfite to extract benzaldehyde.
14:46
Distillation process yields unexpected benzyl chloride
- The process involved distillation with three flasks attached, heating, and stirring to collect benzaldehyde.
- Initially, side products were collected until the boiling point of benzaldehyde was reached.
- The temperature stabilized at the boiling point of benzaldehyde, indicating the collection of pure benzaldehyde.
- After collecting a significant amount, the distillation was stopped, leaving behind dark tar in the original flask.
- The collected benzaldehyde was transferred to a vial, discarding the first and last flasks as they contained impurities.
- Despite expecting cherry-scented benzaldehyde, the collected substance smelled like hydrochloric acid, indicating it was benzyl chloride.
- A test with sodium bisulfite confirmed the presence of benzyl chloride instead of benzaldehyde.
- Two years later, a new attempt was made using carbon tetrachloride as the solvent and isolating the Étard complex.
- The isolated Étard complex was purified, dried, and degraded to extract benzaldehyde.
- Despite a successful extraction process, the final yield of benzaldehyde was disappointingly low, leading to confusion and further experimentation with diethyl ether.
29:33
Successful purification and creation of cherry soda.
- Combined ingredients, washed with water and sodium bicarbonate, dried, and started distilling.
- Hoped for benzaldehyde recovery from ether distillation, but obtained nothing.
- Concerned about the failure, attempted a fix by adding sodium carbonate and diethyl ether to the reaction.
- Noticed a positive change after adding the base, leading to the formation of yellow oil.
- Combined recovered substances, realizing impurity and the need for purification.
- Used sodium bisulfite to purify the substance, forming a benzaldehyde sodium bisulfite adduct.
- Isolated the adduct using a filter and diethyl ether washes, resulting in pure benzaldehyde.
- Confirmed purity through an H-NMR test, ensuring safety for consumption.
- Created cherry soda by adding benzaldehyde to a sugar base with citric and ascorbic acid, and carbonating the mixture.
- Tasted the cherry soda, finding it surprisingly good and comparable to commercial soda, marking the project's success.
