How to make TCPO or bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl) oxalate, used in glow stick reactions.
WARNING: This procedure should only be performed by, or under the direct supervision of, an experienced chemist. Please refer to the material safety data sheets of all chemicals for their hazards. Synthesis must be performed in a fumehood.
1. Start with 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and dissolve it in dry toluene (15-20mL of toluene per gram of TCP). Azeotropic distillation may be used to obtain a dry solution.
2. Chill solution in an ice bath to zero Celsius
3. Add one molar equivalent of triethylamine or similar suitable organic base. A dried base, usually over molecular sieves, is preferred.
4. Keep chilled with stirring and add 0.5 mol equivalents drop wise of oxalyl chloride. Extensive evolution of heat will occur as well as formation of a thick off-white precipitate.
5. Once all oxalyl chloride as been added, mixture is allowed to warm to room temperature. It was found that purity increases if stirring is allowed to continue overnight.
6. Suction filter the mixture on a fritted funnel. Discard the filtrate. The TCPO is a fine white powder mixed with triethylammonium chloride at this point.
7. The mixture is washed with methanol or ethanol to remove the triethylammonium chloride and then thoroughly dried, preferably under vacuum.
To perform glow stiick reaction mix these chemicals:
3mg of 9,10-bis(phenyethynyl) anthracene
300mg of sodium acetate or sodium salicylate
10mL of ethyl acetate or diethyl phthalate
All the TCPO in the video.
3mL of hydrogen peroxide added last to initiate the reaction.
The exact same process is used in glow sticks. This is NOT mountain dew. Mountain dew cannot glow like this, it does not have the crucial TCPO chemical or any chemical like that.
The reaction will glow in the dark for several minutes if you use ethyl acetate as the solvent. It will glow for several hours if you use diethyl phthalate as the solvent.
Just updated your iPhone? You'll find new emoji, enhanced security, podcast transcripts, Apple Cash virtual numbers, and other useful features. There are even new additions hidden within Safari. Find out what's new and changed on your iPhone with the iOS 17.4 update.
2 Comments
Sir we had made the TCPO by ourselves and we used the dye DAPN(diaminp phenazine) instead of 9,10-bis(phenyethyl) anthracene and use the solvent ethyl acetate for this and procced as your procedure but we didnt't get the glow for minutes.It lasts only for seconds(i.e. 3-5).
Is this due to the use of DAPN rather than the use of anthracene? We had made the DAPN with the mixture of OPDA(orthophenylene diamine) with Distilled water and the addition of the HRP(horse radish periooxidase).
Sir, we are the student of Nepal studying Biomedical Engineering and we are doing our final year project and we need your help in this, as our project is based in the che miluminescece method for the pregnency detector.
Please,please sir help us sending your reply.We will be very thankful towards you if you will be kind to us.
Eagerly waiting for your reply.
I think you should send the guy a comment on his youtube account or send him an e-mail because I am not sure if he reads the comments here.
Share Your Thoughts