Re: Ferric Oxalate
Richard Sullivan (richsul@netcom.com)
Tue, 10 Jan 1995 19:40:01 -0800 (PST)
I would like to commend you on your previous message, too long of which I
will not quote. (To paraphrase Churchill). As most of you know from my
writings I am not a "real" chemist, I guess you'd call me a practical
chemist. What Mike mentions about polymerization is the key to the F.O.
problem. There appears to be many ways in which the same ratio of atoms
can hold hands to make a molecule. Some combinations make a more water
soluble bond than others. Direct control over how they join up is almost
impossible, so a lot is determined by the method of manufacture. I took
one chemistry course back in the late 50's, of which I mostly slept
through as it was just a requirement on the way to degree in History, In
college, at least in the beginning courses, one gets the idea that
chemistry is an exact science. Most of it is, that is until one gets to
the preparatory area, making chemicals. Here to most is rather formulaic
- add this to that and get a new chemical. The more complicated
substances require real art to figure out how to make. I always thought
that if you had the formula, all you had to do was grab so much oxygen
and add so much hydrogen to so much carbon, and voila you had it, not so.
Anyway, thanks for the treatise on ferric oxalate, excellent if I do say so.
Just for kicks, I thought I'd mention Phil Davis's method of making
ferric oxalate. He makes a solution of ferrous oxalate and puts the
beaker in an ice salt bath to cool it way down. Then he slowly adds drop
by drop full strength hydrogen peroxide or as Phil calls it "bomb" grade.
The icing down slows down the reaction enough so that human life is
sustained within 100 yards. Phil by the way is the author of the "Beyond
the Zone System" books. Phil's system has 21 zones whereas God only has 10.
Dick Sullivan
Bostick & Sullivan
richsul@netcom.com