Very nice to see the Wurtz reaction being used to make such an exotic compound! I would be scared of a runaway, when heating the flask, but it obviously worked. Maybe dissolving the cyclopropane in an inert solvent, could make it easier to test with bromine water.
That's a good idea, and next time I buy dry ice I'll probably do this again with zinc instead of sodium. Hopefully more product and I'd make a short video about it.
Very nice set up Tom! I cannot tell you the number of times I have done that when I added dry ice. I eventually just start with the dry ice then add the acetone to avoid the bubbling. Really great work man! Keep it up!
@@Seorful Alright you got me, I meant a Wurtz reaction. (Not an english speaker) ^^ However one could consider the reaction of a grignard reagent and an alkyl halide (often also called a Wurtz coupling) as a "false" Wurtz coupling. The "true" wurtz coupling, the original one, is done with sodium metal and is purely radical based. I think that may be what went though my mind at the time I said this.
I just stumbled upon your channel today while looking for a cyclopropane synthesis, and I've got to say, your channel is an underrated gem! Thank you for your videos.
Tom from Explosions and Fire (Extractions and Ire) sent me and I'm glad he did! I love learning about theory and synthesis! I'm an analytical chemist nowadays working at a manufacturing plant so I don't do much synthesis like my undergrad days. Boy do I miss learning Chemistry in an academic setting haha.
The Graham condenser has its very special important uses, as you have discovered. Imagine trying to build a ketene lamp without a number of Graham condensers. It just is irreplaceable, even against double surface condensers a long Graham condenser will win, in spite of poor Aussies problems with them. It's a good thing they don't come in yellow pyrex or else there would be another problem. I loved your illustration of the Wurtz RXN w/ cyclopropane. Nice job. Bj texas
One easy way to prevent side products is to dilute the dibromopropane a lot, in hexane or something inert. That way you prevent colislons with other molecules since they are so apart.
Cool ! Literally ! Dry ice and acetone are rarely seen on utoob. Nice to see you Active ;) Not knowing for sure what the products are is the big PITA with OC. Hasten the day when you can buy a $100 desktop NMR off ebay.
Is it possible to form benzene in a side reaction? Wen 2 Propene react to another? Im fairly confidend 3+3 is 6... or was it 2 times 3? Ah forget wat i sayed... cyclohexane is more likly to form... isnt it?
That was going to be my question too. I figured itd be more likely that another bromopropane would connect causing a bromohexane formation and then a cyclohexane. I figure the products would order from hexane, benzene, misc base 3 alkanes, then your cycle propane.
