hermanntrude

there are several methods for adding carbon-carbon bonds to a chain, but yes, the above is the most commonly used.

there's still no actual evidence that sulfuric acid was synthesised in any significant purity. so the solution smelt of sulfuric acid... so what? that just means two things: 1) the experimenter wasn't using adequate ventilation 2) there may have been some sulfuric acid present. this is not the way to do chemistry

yes. I guess you could call me a homooligomer, although i've never heard the term used before. I am conductive, and consist of six five membered rings

this is a very unsafe procedure, and that, coupled with the fact you have only a vague clue as to what your product actually was, leads me to suggest that others should not try this method, especially if they like their lungs and eyes.

hint. I also contain carbon and sulfur, but unlike the last one, I contain hydrogen too

yes but not magically.

it's appeal is sixfold

there are very few situations where you'll need absolute ethanol

here's one then: I am a heterocyclic oligomer with a name which seems very appealing. VERY appealing ;0)

I guess it's still up to UC

what does parse mean?

it's not very easy... you need nitrous oxide and carbon disulphide. put as much nitrous oxide in a measuring cylinder as possible, then add a few drops of CS2. cover it and shake it around to disperse the CS2, then drop in a lighted splint. be very careful that your nitrous oxide is pure... there is a danger of explosion if it is contaminated. wear gloves and eye protection and do it somewhere well ventilated, preferably in a fume hood, since the sulfur formed stinks to high heaven.

am I thinking of a different copper salt? i'm sure there's one which can be green or blue depending on the amount of water around

I found that most of the stuff I did during my PhD required me to learn new skills rather than rely on old ones. the general gist of a PhD in my opinion is learning how to learn things.

Ive used sodium and potassium. I've found that the potassium is more violent but much more predictable... the sodium can give you nasty surprises. Generally what I do is this: cut off a chunk of metal about the same volume as a cube 3 or 4mm on a side, no more. Then put that chunk in some hexane to wash off the oil. Then take the original stock back into the flammables cupboard. Then get a large, plastic container of water, with a bit of phenolphthalein in it and put it behind my explosion guard. Then make sure my entire audience is standing well back and prepared, then put on my goggles and lab coat, then use some tongs to drop the metal in. The sodium has a tendency to explode if it melts onto the side of the container. If that happens, be prepared to wash molten sodium off your explosion guard. the potassium is much nicer because it burns with a lilac flame, but too much and it WILL go bang.

oh crap... missed that bit.

try it

usually the markings are etched into the glass, so no.

owchee. UC, that was an obscure one

I didnt mention any hemihydrates. I was suggesting just less hydrated than .5H2O

the latter. definitely the latter.

probably a different dye, or perhaps a different chemical... either way, white phosphorus wouldnt be used. it has an annoying tendency to catch fire in your pocket

well i'm giving up. Ive spent a stupid amount of time googling and searching through aldrich catalogues. But i did just discover I can change the title of threads... i didnt know I could do that!

I quite enjoyed the fictional concept, invented by Terry Pratchett, of retrophrenology, whereby a person's character can be altered by means of a hammer applied to the head to change its shape

hmmm... we had something like this recently which was a hoax... it was how to make a tomato glow, and the idea was based on the premise that the match heads contained white phosphorus, which they don't, and havent done for a long time... even the "strike anywhere" ones.