Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#111

Post by sterlind » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:08 AM UTC

ok_computer wrote: post #107

girvo wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Chlorinated solvents are no joke I mean, you're right, but I can also literally walk down to Bunnings and buy some, so I'm not sure these YouTubers are really tipping the scales.

I'm not offended by the volume he's producing, just the act of doing low value chemistry work at home making something gross, it will get repeated by less capable viewers in uncontrolled environments. On the other hand, I always thought things like anarchist cookbook and erowid type stuff is great for knowledge sharing. I don't think there should be a monopoly on knowing how to do stuff but this is different, maybe t…

> On the other hand, I always thought things like anarchist cookbook and erowid type stuff is great for knowledge sharing.

I recently watched YouTube channel where a guy made phenethylamine from bitter almond oil (benzaldehyde) via the P2NP route. other videos featured anthranilic acid, steam distillation of sassafras, and GBL.

I'm astounded he hasn't been banned or raided, but it was massively cool seeing him run these synths in the middle of some forest.

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#112

Post by dghughes » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:10 AM UTC

yreg wrote: post #9

ravenstine wrote: post #6

I decided to open the Wikipedia page for Chloroform while this video played and thought it was interesting that the idea that criminals can immediately knock someone out with a chloroform soaked rag is really a work of fiction. Not that it couldn't be done, but that it would probably take minutes and not just a few seconds.

There is a reason why anesthesiologists are paid well. Knocking someone out safely is not a joke. (Not only in US where everything health-related involves big money, but also in the countries which underpay other healthcare professionals.)

Cats don't do well with anaesthetic.

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#113

Post by sterlind » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:12 AM UTC

girvo wrote: post #110

ok_computer wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not offended by the volume he's producing, just the act of doing low value chemistry work at home making something gross, it will get repeated by less capable viewers in uncontrolled environments. On the other hand, I always thought things like anarchist cookbook and erowid type stuff is great for knowledge sharing. I don't think there should be a monopoly on knowing how to do stuff but this is different, maybe t…

> …it will get repeated by less capable viewers in uncontrolled environments. Maybe. I dunno, I’ve been active in underground chemistry forums for 15 years at this point, and the thing it drove home to me is that 99.9% of the people on there are armchair chemists, and only a tiny fraction actually do any home chemistry. It’s all exciting to read about and watch, but for the most part people steer clear (for sane, goo…

I'm hoping that with mushrooms getting legalized here soon, we're on the path to where eventually I could get a hobby license to synthesize psychedelics on a small scale, the way some people brew beer for fun.

I'm in the same boat as you I think. I got into ochem as a teenager reading BL and thee Hive, but never did anything with it other than read and fantasize. if it were legal I'd do it in a heartbeat, it's just not worth the risk to me.

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#114

Post by jefftk » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:24 AM UTC

toss1 wrote: post #105

jefftk wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> a type of frog has 'anti-freeze' in it's makeup so it can freeze and re-thaw Nit: it can't actually recover from freezing solid. It just has lowered the freezing point of the remaining liquid to below the temperatures it's going to encounter.

Thanks, you provoked me to look it up in more detail, and we're both oversimplifying, and it's even wilder than I thought. From [0]: >> On an organismal level, they are completely frozen to death — their heart stops beating and breathing ceases. Image via Facebook >> The frog’s death-defying trick actually comes down to one simple factor: nucleating proteins. When the frog’s skin begins to freeze, these proteins caus…

It's definitely wild!

But "completely frozen" isn't quite right: if you slowly lowered the temperature of a "frozen" frog enough the tiny bit of water still within the cells would freeze, and the frog would die.

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#115

Post by bhickey » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:27 AM UTC

Octokiddie wrote: post #13

It's worth noting that the general class of reaction described here ("Haloform reaction") was discovered in 1822, and rediscovered after that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haloform_reaction Organic chemistry is a very old field whose older literature can still be used and remains relevant today. Also, inhaling anything you produce in a lab, even if you did distill it, is idiotic.

My freshman advisor was a famous[1] organic chemist. He told me that he would do isolate THC, then elongate its carbon tail to induce a more powerful, longer lasting high. When I asked him, he responded that he had no concerns about his ability to make a pure reaction product.

[1] Famous within organic chemistry circles.

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#116

Post by Metacelsus » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:30 AM UTC

kortex wrote: post #79

xkcd-sucks wrote: post #18

Chloroform is great for extractions (if you don't care about the environment) because it sinks to the bottom of a sep funnel, but the thing about it being a knockout gas or sleep aid is complete BS. Based on an unpublished study of about 4 degenerate chemistry undergrads: - It PROBABLY takes several minutes of inhalation through a saturated rag to induce full loss of consciousness, although shorter times do produce n…

> The poor efficacy of DMSO in assisting drug translocation through skin Oh yeah, for the observer gallery: The reason DMSO (and DMF, DMAc, HF, to an extent haloforms, and polar aprotic solvents in general) are dangerous is that they can dissolve and transport small molecules (under 1000 daltons, possibly more) through your skin and into the bloodstream. They go straight through nitrile, vinyl, and latex gloves. You…

I recently had to use a mitomycin C (very toxic) solution in DMSO, I was really paranoid to not spill any.

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#117

Post by Metacelsus » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:31 AM UTC

xkcd-sucks wrote: post #18

Chloroform is great for extractions (if you don't care about the environment) because it sinks to the bottom of a sep funnel, but the thing about it being a knockout gas or sleep aid is complete BS. Based on an unpublished study of about 4 degenerate chemistry undergrads: - It PROBABLY takes several minutes of inhalation through a saturated rag to induce full loss of consciousness, although shorter times do produce n…

>Why attempting GHB synthesis via permanganate oxidation of THF is a bad idea

I'm interested . . . is it because of the risk of blow-ups?

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#118

Post by pstuart » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:37 AM UTC

My shrink used to prescribe me chloral hydrate and it was great. Unfortunately it was banned because of mistakes made by dentists in improper use.

I've long advocated for legalizing illicit drugs but stuff like this should also be of the individuals discretion.

Apparently simple to synthesize but I'm not sure I'm up for that.

Edit: Erowid FTW: https://erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/chloralhydrate....

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#119

Post by ajb » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:43 AM UTC

labrador wrote: post #17

I'm a recovering nitrous oxide addict so this is interesting, but people should proceed with caution. I didn't know laughing gas could be addictive for some people until it was too late. In the film Cider House Rules, Michael Caine plays a doctor addicted to ether for sleep https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cider_House_Rules_(film) Google result: Is chloroform stronger than ether? Fluothane and chloroform produced si…

Random question: I've been hearing this strange clarinet-like noise in my area - exactly like someone practising the clarinet except only one note, never a tune or scales. After puzzling this over for some time the only thing I can think that it might be, is someone going a balloon with nitrous. Is that plausible?

Re: Making chloroform so I can sleep better at night [video]

#120

Post by ok_computer » Wed, Jan 25, 2023, 2:46 AM UTC

girvo wrote: post #110

ok_computer wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not offended by the volume he's producing, just the act of doing low value chemistry work at home making something gross, it will get repeated by less capable viewers in uncontrolled environments. On the other hand, I always thought things like anarchist cookbook and erowid type stuff is great for knowledge sharing. I don't think there should be a monopoly on knowing how to do stuff but this is different, maybe t…

> …it will get repeated by less capable viewers in uncontrolled environments. Maybe. I dunno, I’ve been active in underground chemistry forums for 15 years at this point, and the thing it drove home to me is that 99.9% of the people on there are armchair chemists, and only a tiny fraction actually do any home chemistry. It’s all exciting to read about and watch, but for the most part people steer clear (for sane, goo…

> Joe Blow buying DCM paint stripper

That's what gets me too. I cannot believe how much apparent threat there is in popular media about getting cancer from ocean straws (I'm not a fan of polymer waste and single use but still) and people go to any hardware store buy cheap latex 'water borne' paint with a nasty ether & NMP, fertilizer, weed killer, TCPM paint stripper, new carpeting or furniture on a recurring basis, vinyl siding and flooring, and synthetic fabrics. Then turn around and think 'lol corporations are bad for making CD cases or whatever someone should really do something about that' or vilifying modern production technology that we've become dependent on for high value battery, cars, chips, and medical devices. Like how are advanced economies supposed to function if they lose capability to produce necessary inputs in-house to an extent.

Anyway hardware stores are full of environmentally and health questionable materials, its not right. I think it has to do with societies' tendency to despise labor.

Good point though, I digressed, I think the hill to climb to start something like one of these experiments is enough to dissuade most viewers from repeating.