-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Synthesis of Sodium Cyanide

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------WARNING! SODIUM CYANIDE IS HIGHLY TOXIC!

Do not attempt this synthesis without adequate ventilation!
Put 420 g of K4[Fe(CN)6]3 (potassium ferrocyanide(II) trihydrate, FW 422)
in
a 2 l RB flask. In 1 l chemical glass pour 600 ml of cold water and
_carefully_
add 200 ml of conc H2SO4. Pour this hot soln to ferrocyanide, join to the
neck
of flask 40 cm glass tube (1-1.5 cm diameter) as deflegmator & condenser,
attach
silicon rubber hose and place the end (of hose, of course) in 181 ml 45%
NaOH
soln. After 10-min heating at boiling water bath, a strong gas evolution
begins;
be careful, do it only under good fume hood. From time to time stir NaOH
soln
in receiver flask (this soln may heated up to 80C, this is doesn't matter
don't cool). After 1-1:10 reaction complete, no more gas evolution
observed.
Voila, you get near 260-280 ml 40% NaCN soln.
PS. Don't poll blue-green residue in sewer system; you sewer pipes will be
covered with this viscous mixture, sure. Carefully pour it (under hood!!!)
in
1-liter glass jar and bury it. In uninhabited place, please.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Catastrophe:
Easy Cyanide Synth
In any General Chem book they always some example in the synth of a
cyanide.
Here's what mine says...
BaO + 3C + N2 ----> Ba(CN)2 + CO
HEAT
Cyanides can be made by the action of carbon and nitrogen on metallic
oxides.
The mixture is heated to a red heat and is usually done in a stream of N2.
But
this reaction really doesn't help us much, because we want Sodium/Potassium
Cyanide, but we don't have the proper oxides, right? Well, what's another
metallic oxide? Hmmmmmm maybe Iron Oxide? That's right good old RUST!
Here's
what you should do...
First, here's some stuff you'll need:
Iron Oxide (rust)

Carbon (ummmmm, Charcoal!)

Sodium/Potassium Carbonate (Pool neutralizer)
Nitrogen (well the Earth's atmosphere is 70% N2, so that should be fine)
Crucible (you should get one of these, but I guess you can use a tin can)
Bunsen burner (propane blowtorch)
Here's how it works:
1. First we convert the carbonate to the ferrocyanide.
2. Then we convert the ferrocyanide into the cyanide.
Ferrocyanide:
Take 5 parts(by weight) of rust and 10 parts(by weight) of charcoal and 10
parts(by weight) of Sodium Carbonate (make sure they're powdered up real
nice)
and mix them together good. Fire up a crucible to red heat, then pour the
mix
in. Now everything should kinda fuse together and redden, and every once in
awhile you'll see purplish flames shoot up from the mixture. Stir with a
fork
until the flaming stops. Turn everything off and let cool. Chip the mixture
into
a large amount of HOT water and stir vigorously. Filter off the unreacted
carbon
and mostly unabsorbed iron. Evaporate water to leave the powdered
ferrocyanide.
Cyanide:
The ferrocyanide is converted to the cyanide by mixing 8 parts of the
ferrocyanide with 3 parts of the carbonate. Pour the mixture into the red
hot
crucible. The powder will melt and bubble and there will be a solid portion
and
a liquid portion. When the bubbling stops, pour the liquid portion onto a
hard
surface (marble countertop). It will solidfy on the surface and should be
broken
up and stored in a container. This will be your cyanide, and should be
relatively pure. There are other ways of making the cyanide from the ferro,
look
at rhodiums page. It is a real good idea to have a supply of sodium
thiosulphate
or amyl/butyl nitrite handy as cyanide poisoning can occur easily. Oh and
do it
OUTDOORS!!! I don't think I need to tell you the fumes are toxic!
The synth does have some complications. For me, sometimes I get it and
sometimes
I just don't. I really don't know why, any ideas?
Refs:
General Chemistry; Linus Pauling, 1970
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