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Author
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Topic: Etylene Glycol
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nbk2000
Professor Emeritus
Member # 10
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posted August 16, 2002 07:51 AM
Ethylene Glycol, besides being useful for making EGDN, is also a prime precursor for the manufacture of mustard gas (as detailed in my PDF). Now, usually, the easiest way to obtain this material OTC is in the form of anti-freeze.
However, anti-freeze contains all sorts of other chemicals that need to be seperated, like surfactants/stabilizers/protectants/etc, requiring fractional distillation and filtration to get to suitable purity.
Not anymore. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I found a product that's common (at least in the snowy US states), is 33% EG, with the other 66% being methyl alchohol which is easily removed by simply heating the product in an open container.
The product is called "De-icer". ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) I'm sure you can find it in any autoparts store during the cold season.
$1.30 for 16 ounces, which translates into at least 5 ounces of EG. Probably more accounting for the difference in density between MeOH and EG.
I measured out 10 mL (graduated cylinder) and heated it at 180*F for two hours till constant volume.
After measuring the remainder, I had 3.3 mL remaining, thus 33% by volume of the deicer is EG.
If this source is too expensive for mass production, then it's at least suitable as an easy source of (technical grade) EG for use in EGDN synth and in small scale mustard gas production before investing in large scale distillation equipment or bulk chemical purchases.
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The knowledge that they fear is a weapon to be used against them.
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Posts: 2800 | From: Tornado capital of the world...Kansas | Registered: Sep 2000
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VX
Lab Assistant
Member # 1023
Member Rated:
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posted August 16, 2002 04:12 PM
In the UK we have de-icer, but it's different to yours. For a start ours is in a blue can (about 500ml for 99p)
But the big difference is that ours only contains iso propanol and a propellant... making it quite useless, for most things except melting ice.
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Don't play with matches!
Posts: 113 | From: UK | Registered: Oct 2001
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rc
Bottle Washer
Member # 1168
Rate Member
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posted August 16, 2002 05:01 PM
We in finland can buy almost pure ethylene glycol. The only additive is sodium nitrite which is also pretty useful.
Okey but how can ethylene glycol be used to make the mustard gas?
[ August 16, 2002, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: rc ]
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Ignorance has killed also the Wise.
Posts: 31 | Registered: Mar 2002
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PYRO500
Moderator
Member # 73
Member Rated:
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posted August 16, 2002 05:51 PM
NBK posted a rather simple synthesis way back in september 2000. I have the pdf archives but I think you should find it yourself. I believe the 2000 archives are on the ftp.
Basicly what you do is turn the Ethylene Glycol into Ethylene Chlorohydrin by passing HCL gas through it. You then add sodium sulfide and heat it to form thiodiglycol. The thiodiglycol is then neutralized and heated with HCL to create mustard gas.
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Society creates the crime, the criminal completes it.
Posts: 2029 | From: somewhere in florida | Registered: Sep 2000
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