Grignard Experiment - Even More Info

Craig Fryhle (fryhle@u.washington.edu)
Tue, 3 Dec 1996 15:16:37 -0800 (PST)

Hi, again folks. Another tip for you. If you do engage in crushing your
magnesium once it is in the reaction flask with the ether and
bromobenzene, a sign that the Grignard reaction is starting is the
appearance of bubbles near the Mg surface. The formation of the Grignard
reagent is an exothermic reaction and will boil the ether as the reaction
proceeds. Whether the Grignard reaction starts on its own or with coaxing
(such as grinding with the stirring rod), the formation of bubbles from
spontaneous boiling of the ether is a good sign.

Ciao for now,

CBF

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Craig B. Fryhle, Ph.D. Office 206-535-8314 FAX 206-536-5055
Associate Professor Email fryhle@u.washington.edu
Department of Chemistry URL http://rainier.chem.plu.edu/fryhle.html
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, Washington 98447 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^
^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^