Chloroform at home: methods of preparation, physical properties, use in everyday life and danger

What is chloroform? This is a chemical compound, which is a volatile liquid, colorless, with a sharp ethereal odor and a sweet aftertaste. The substance does not dissolve in water, is not combustible, can be mixed with most solvents.

Poisonous, when exposed to ultraviolet rays and in contact with oxygen, slowly decomposes, becoming even more dangerous substances, among which phosgene and chlorine.

It is used for industrial and medical purposes.

History

The chemical was first obtained in 1831 by German chemist Samuel Guthrie. The main formula and name for the connection was established by the French scientist Dumas in 1834.

For a long time, chloroform was used for industrial purposes, mainly as a solvent.

In medicine, for the first time the substance was used in 1847 as an anesthetic by the English physician Simpson.

Before Russia, the discovery came only 50 years later, and the real medical chloroform at home was brought out by Boris Zbarsky in 1916. As a means for anesthesia was widely used after the operations of Nikolai Pirogov.

Physical properties

• The formula for the compound is CHCl ₃ .
• The refraction is 1.44858 at a temperature of 15 ° C.
• The boiling point is + 61,152 ° C.
• Crystallization at 63.55 ° C.
• Dissolves in water only at temperatures above 31 ° C in a small amount.

In chloroform, used for medical purposes and entering a limited sale, contains up to 2% of ethyl alcohol, which acts as a link between the components and prevents the compound from decomposing in sunlight and releasing hazardous substances.

Ways of obtaining

On an industrial scale, the liquid is extracted by chlorination.

Chloroform is obtained by heating chlorine and methane (or methane-containing substances, methyl chloride) at a temperature of 400 ° C. As a result, a mixture is formed consisting of several compounds, the separation of which occurs by the distillation method.

In laboratory studies, chloroform is also produced by the reaction of calcium hypochlorite and acetone. As a result, two types of liquids are distinguished, also separated by distillation.

Chloroform at home is extracted from different substances in several ways.

1. When combining bleach with ethyl alcohol, acetone or acetaldehyde.

2. By electrolysis from alcohol, salt and sodium hydroxide (caustic soda).

3. When trichloroacetic acid is heated.

When working with substances, all precautions are taken. Cover the skin should be covered with special clothing, be sure to have gloves, goggles and a protective mask to prevent inhaling of the vapors of the joint.

Getting chloroform at home

You can get chloroform from pure bleach or products containing it, for example, special cleaning agents for the house. The most famous is the liquid "Whiteness".

The substance must be mixed with acetone in a glass or plastic container in the ratio of 1 part of acetone to 30 parts of "Whiteness". After settling, separate the resulting liquid with a dropping funnel into water and chloroform.

If sodium hydroxide (caustic soda, NaOH) is present , electrolysis at home can be performed. In a glass or plastic container it is necessary to pour alcohol (preferably ethyl), add salt and mix thoroughly until completely dissolved. Salt acts as an amplifier of conductive abilities. Add caustic soda, lower two electrodes connected to the power source. After the effervescence of the solution, it is necessary to monitor how quickly the stratification of the liquid into the water (at the top) and chloroform (below) takes place.

Heating trichloroacetic acid to a temperature of +75 ° C and evaporating the carbon dioxide, you will also get chloroform. At home, you need to take certain measures to ensure your safety - you need to wear a special protective mask to avoid inhaling harmful substances, and when working with acid, you should use thick rubber gloves.

Application

Initially, chloroform was used as a solvent, most of it for rubber and petroleum products.

In the 19-20th centuries. - as an anesthesia for many operations.

Currently, chloroform is used:

• For obtaining more complex substances (Freon, Hladon);
• As a solvent;
• For the production of pesticides;
• In the manufacture of dyes.

Caution - dangerous substance!

Chloroform is an extremely dangerous substance, exactly the same as its constituents. Therefore, carefully weigh all the pros and cons, before learning how to make chloroform at home. After all, there are many safe analogs of this substance.

Chloroform is a harmful and dangerous compound. It affects the entire body as a whole and when handling it, precautions should be taken.

Chloroform is a semi-ether substance and very rapidly spreads through the air. When exposed to the lungs quickly absorbed into the blood, causing a negative reaction in the whole body.

The central nervous system under the influence of the substance is suppressed. If you breathe in a small amount, you feel dizzy, you get a feeling of general fatigue, you may get a headache and vomiting. With long exposure, a person loses consciousness.

Long-term effects even in small doses cause liver and kidney disease.

If you greatly increase the dose of chloroform and leave a person under its influence - it is possible a lethal outcome.

When performing studies in rats, it was found that prolonged use in small doses leads to miscarriages, and the born animals have a large percentage of genetic abnormalities.

If you decide to get chloroform at home, you need to be as cautious as possible. In addition to the properties of the substance itself, it should be taken into account that there is the possibility of poisoning with phosgene, which causes even more serious consequences for the human body.