2M2B testing

[tidest]

how would one go about testing a batch of 2-methyl-2-butanol?
not finding many obvious resources off the cuff, but that makes sense, it probably wouldn't be reagent testable ^^'
(i'd actually figure the method would be similar to EtOH, but that's not easy to research either, given its accessibility ><)

i'd figure that one'd check its density and other characteristics, make sure they line up with the data we'd expect?
in addition to, of course, an allergy test and starting low and slow, standard practices for any new substance ^^

thanks for any input y'alls've got ^^

 

[Transform]

A lab test would obviously be ideal, and in many countries there are organisations that offer free testing. FTIR alone would give a chemist a lot of information.

If that's not a possibility, it depends what kind of adulterants or substitutions you expect. If you need to determine whether there is 1ppm of novichok nerve agent then nothing except mass spectrometry will be adequate. If you just want to check you weren't sent a completely different chemical, the challenge is different.

Since it's legal to produce in many countries, it's likely that it's either the correct substance (extremely likely to have positional isomers present) or a complete substitute due to incompetence/fraud. So a simple test of the known chemical properties would be good.

tert-Amyl alcohol - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Check it freezes in a household freezer. Check the boiling point (fire risk). Check the water solubility. Density. Refractive index if you have any brewing equipment? Be aware that water content will tweak these properties slightly.

 

[Didgital]

how would one go about testing a batch of 2-methyl-2-butanol?
not finding many obvious resources off the cuff, but that makes sense, it probably wouldn't be reagent testable ^^'
(i'd actually figure the method would be similar to EtOH, but that's not easy to research either, given its accessibility ><)

i'd figure that one'd check its density and other characteristics, make sure they line up with the data we'd expect?
in addition to, of course, an allergy test and starting low and slow, standard practices for any new substance ^^

thanks for any input y'alls've got ^^

Easy.

See what temperature it distills at. should be 102.4c so you need a very precise thermometer. You can dry it with anhydrous magnesium sulfate to remove any water.

 

[4DQSAR]

That stuff was used medically long ago but as far as I know now all that is available is solvent grades.

I'm sure you COULD buy ReagentPlus grade but from what I recall it turned out to taste vile and it appeared and disappeared as an RC in about 8 weeks. I did read a couple of reports of people choking down 10ml of the stuff and not one EVER suggested it was an ethanol alternative.

On the plus side it seems less toxic to the liver although like ethanol, part of it is expelled via the lungs and apparently the smell just stayed with the user. Most is metabolised unchanged although oxidation to a diol and gluconation are also minor pathways.

So I assume you could drink your own pee to stay under the influence.

Classy!

 

[tidest]

drinking one's own pee to stay under the influence.. that's.. a thought ><
not too sure why one would want to, twelve hours is already a looong active time (that being the big point of curiosity for me, the other being the reduced toxicity compared to EtOH)

is it really that vile? i'd figure you'd want to dilute it pretty far, ethanol isn't exactly pleasant in a pure form either..

but yeah, more or less as i figured, test substance properties, ensure they align with what's expected.. certainly appreciate the confirmation though
no reason for it to be the wrong substance, but mistakes happen..

thanks folks! :3