Description of experiment
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Needed compounds:
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ammonium thiocyanate : NH4SCN
methanol : CH3OH
hydrochloric acid : HCl
nitric acid : HNO3
Class:
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elem=N,C
redox
Summary:
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Methanol and nitrate/nitric acid do not react readily, not even at fairly
high temperature (appr. 90C).
Description:
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Add 1 volume of CH3OH to 3 volumes of 30% HCl: The liquids partially mix.
Shake the liquid: Complete mixing of both liquids. The liquid remains colorless
and a slight amount of heat is produced.
Add approximately 1 volume of 52% HNO3 and shake: No visible changes.
Heat the liquid in a flame, but not so long that it starts boiling. It is
estimated that the liquid is heated to somewhere around 90 C: The liquid
slowly changes from colorless to yellow. The air above the liquid becomes
slightly coloured. It is hard to see whether this is green or very dilute
brown. Besides this, no reaction can be observed.
Add a spatula of NH4SCN to the still hot liquid: A very violent reaction
occurs. The liquid becomes deep red/brown (color of nitrosyl thiocyanate)
and a colorless gas is produced (or is this boiling??).