Science Forums 2

[UncleAl]

The exciting: Tris(hydrazino)nickel(II) nitrate, Ni(NH2-NH2)3(NO3)2

To a saturated Ni(NO3)2 solution in water add twice the volume of ethanol
(green solution). 50:50 hydrazine hydrate in ethanol. Drip the nickel solution into the hydrazine solution with brisk magnetic stirring.

Deep blue flocks break under the agitation and turn pale pink. Mild exotherm. Filter the bulky precipitate. Wash with cold distilled water, then ethanol. Dry in air.

Reasonably shock-insensitive. Deflagrates with flame. Detonates with confinement - 7 km/sec or 22,960 ft/sec.



The cute: Photoreduction of benzophenone to benzopinacol.

In a 125 ml round bottom flask dissolve 10 g of benzophenone in 70 ml of anhydrous isopropanol with warming. Add one drop of glacial acetic acid. Fill the hot flask to the neck with more isopropanol.

Firmly stopper, then wire or vinyl electrical tape the stopper in place - do not occlude the round bottom! The flask must be sealed warm. If it is sealed cold and warms in sunlight, expanding liquid will burst it.

Invert the flask then expose to sunlight for a week or more. Abundant crystals of benzopinacol grow as the benzophenone is one-electron reduced and dimerizes.