How to make Propanal (propionaldehyde) 

As a PhD organic chemist that has worked a lot with small molar mass aldehydes, I have to say that in general aldehydes only by the vigorous stirring of their solution (neat or with solvent) with the atmospheric air causes their rapid oxidation to the corresponding carboxylic acids. Therefore, not only an ice bath is required to minimize this phenomenon, but under Argon atmosphere is a must! Best regards, colleague NileRed. You're awesome.

So naturally, I would definitely want to make it.

Make a video of propanamide synthesis from urea and propanoic acid. Then make a video of ethylamine synthesis using propanamide and sodium hypochlorite!

funny how i have learnt more chemistry on youtube than at UNI, QUESTION NR: did you make n propanol or buy it? thanks

Did you consider using pyridinium chlorochromate as your oxidizer instead of chromic acid? This way you wouldn't have to worry about any propionic acid forming.

I could learn a lot from you, Nile. That is why I subscribed to your channel.

Really awesome work and great instructions! Any suggestions for simpler, home upstart equipment and experiments? I'm a chemical engineer major, but I feel like hands-on is the really the best way to understand this stuff.

Are you taking any measures to protect the propionaldehyde from air oxidation, or are you gonna be using it quickly enough that the amount oxidized will be negligible?

This cooking channel is weird

I learned the trick of controlled temperature zones. I felt the description of the distillation was a bit confusing though. Over all thank you for teaching me something I didn't learn in school.

I'm guessing using KMnO4 as the oxidizer is out of the question. You bought the n-propanol from Sigma-Aldrich?

great vid, but there is something i didn't understand ... you have used 60C water in that condenser instead of cold water .. it confused me a little ... so just to sort all this in my head .... you put 60C water because Propanal need to be re-condensed and it will return back to the round bottom flask? while the n-propanol passes throw the condenser ? or i get it wrong ?

Nice oscilloscope in the background. Glad you are working with electronics too!

If the chromium receives three electrons going from +6 to +3. That is being reduced not undergoing oxidation. The potassium dichromate is an oxidizing agent.

Good route for lab synthesis. I use the oxo process myself, but I also make around a million pounds a day.

Activated seeds? As in seeds that are activated? Is that a term for something or are they plantable seeds that have been presoaked to get them started? Not a bad idea for chemicals that may be sensitive to other dehydrating substances.

Is the potassium dichormate just used as an oxidizing agent? If so, could you use hydrogen peroxide?

Hi Nile, very nice video. I have to ask....in your opinion which smells worse, putrizine or this?

+Nile Red I know that acidified dichromates are great oxidisers, but have tried to use hydrochloric acid instead of sulfuric acid (it´s much cheaper and easier to obtain)? If you did then it worked, right?

Why didn't you use a combination of Sodium Chromate, Sulphuric acid, and Pyridine? that should avoid the formation of carboxylic acids.

May I synthesise 2,6-dimethylhex-2-enone from 5-oxo-4-methylheptanal via intramolecular aldol condensation?

3:00 nice paper clip stir bar :P

i looked up propanal on wikipedia and it says that the philae lander has measured a number of organic molecules on the comet, including acetone and propanal. Organic chemistry will always reveal new things in new locations, making the concept of the chemistry of C;H;O;N; etc as 'god', more likely! There must be living organisms out there if org chem synthesis is happening at the wide range of temperature and pressures.

Could you do a video on the synthesis of formaldehyde?

Thank you for a very nice picture. What a camera are you using for these videos?

for post-apocalypse purposes would a little mercuric sulfate be a problem for this reaction? the first part with sulfuric and potassium dichromate is the same thing as a C.O.D. vial except those have mercuric sulfate as a catalyst. odd question I know but I thought it would be worth asking.

I really like chromium chemistry, even though hexavalent chromium compounds are carcinogenic. This way of making aldehydes is one of the easiest to get hold of.

nile be saving my chem grade fr

Cn you not use a weaker oxidising agent that cannot oxidise aldehydes to acids?

Nice video. If you make videos based on request mine would be a video attempt at synthesizing azidoazide azide.

Could you describe a synthesis of ethylene oxide?

you say that the yield was 45-50%. what side product do you think were formed in the reaction?

May I use silica gel instead of special molecular sieves? thanks :)

What submersible pump did you use for the 60C water? All mine say cannot be used for temps over 35C.

Can potassium permanganate be used as it is much better oxidizes agent in acidic medium

Where do you purchase your glassware?

ty as always

Why don't you use Dess-Martin reagents for this?

nile whos your prefered storage bottle supplier?

Why doesn't it continue oxidating to propanoic acid?

It's a very important aldehyde, cool video!

would this work with regular, 2-propanol? IPA is structurally different,having the hydroxyl on the second carbon, but would it still form that double bond, carboxyl? Many of us have gobs of IPA :-)

Hello Nile red, I just have a couple question's and if you could answer them I would greatly appreciate it, also I'm interested in donating some money towards future videos, I haven't used patreon before but I'm sure I can figure it out. Anyways, i would like to know what brand and where from, you purchase those really nice reagent storage bottles with the cone-ish shaped lids like from the skatole synthesis video, they look very high quality and that what I'm looking for. Also, what brand and where from, did you purchase your thermometers with the blue liquid, the contrast is great and it makes them very easy to read, especially on video. Please answer these two questions and also would like to contribute some funds to help further your channel, Thanks.

Hi Nile, can you show us how to make Dioctyl sebacate, I like your videos keep up your amazing work :)

would it be possible for you make nitrogen triiodide ?

If benzyl alcohol is substituted for n-propanol will the reaction yield benzaldehyde?

Could you make acetaldehyde from this procedure too, since k2cr2o7 is so toxic and forbidden, could it be replaced?

A paper clip as stir bar? Meh, this is just oil anyway, so why not.

Hey Nile. you once said you want to make a Methylamine synthesis ? Still waiting for it tho :D

where do you get all your chemicals from ?

can ammonium dichromate be used

my childish brain wants to make a joke about the name propanal so bad

Could KMnO4 be used to make propionic acid?

This is a 7 year old video and I just got it recommended

You shouldnt have used water as solvent!

Wow, that's pretty

so lost...why didn't he just use PCC and CH2Cl2 because that can't oxidize down to a carboxylic acid...is it like too expensive hmmm

What does the "n" mean in n-propanol?

Kek clip

Why is your potassium dichromate red? The dichromate I get is always yellow-orange-ish. It is potasium dichromate because I also tested it but I do not get why is yours red while mine is yellow-orange-ish

can you try to make Potassium Dichromate from scratch?

You lost me at 0:00-5:35 xD

why make something thats smells like shit?

The oil baths at the college i go to have paperclips as stirrers too XD

What is your fascination with stinky chemicals?

Scatole and propanal aww yee

Lol yes us canadians love the smell of feces. Good job! Makes me want to go hunting so I can pick up some feces to play with :P JK

alchemy 100

Аналпроп))10)0)0

kek clip

This guy is weird.