[Catsceo]

Hello, I plan on starting my own home lab for organic, inorganic, and organometallic chemistry.  What chemicals/solvents should I always have stocked?

So far I have this list:

Hydrochloric Acid (donno the concentration)
Sulfuric Acid, 98%
NaOH
KOH
Formic and acetic acids, 95+% each
Citric acid
Methanol, 99%
Isopropanol, 99%
Ammonia (donno the concentration)
Acetonitrile - with a antidote kit for the unlikely case of poisoning
Pure water
KCl, Br, and I, 99% each
NaCl, 99%
Baking soda
Diethyl ether, 99%
Toluene, 99%
Acetone, 99%
THF, 99%
DMSO, 99%

Is there anything else to add?  Or take away?  Any other tips?

[HunterACS]

Methylene Chloride is a good non-polar solvent. Might be useful for acid-base extractions where you get an organic layer. And, its safer than chloroform.

Starch is a good for any suspensions.
EDTA is used quite often for Quant-labs, and may prove useful for inorganic syntheses.

I don't know if this counts, but a Nitrogen tank is useful for drying, and removing O2 for Iodine-experiments.

Ethanol might be useful - I see you have methanol, and isopropanol, but ethanol might be necessary for more non-polar solids.

Might not need the citric acid. You might need Phosphoric acid, or something with a decent Phosphate group.

Ethyl Acetate is a common for elution chambers, if you plan on running a few TLCs.


I think that's it. Not much experience, unfortunately.

[TheUnfocusedOne]

What exactly are you going to be doing...?

EPA will be all over you if you got those in your house.

[billnotgatez]

TheUnfocusedOne -

which of the chemicals listed do you think EPA is interested in?

[Fleaker]

I wouldn't worry so much about the EPA as I would the local authorities. EPA can give piss all about amateur quantities of sulfuric acid and bases (recall what we clear our plumbing with?) and probably not much more about those organic substances (most of which are found in gasoline or in automotive products). The local authorities, however, do not take kindly to things like ether, THF, toluene, and ammonia (or lye for that matter). Those chemicals usually strike the "hey, I reckon this is a drug lab" thought in their head. Which is exactly the last thing you want. I would say stick to relatively benign inorganic chemistry, but really now, there is no "benign" chemistry in the eyes of an overzealous officer and prosecutor.

Consider yourself warned, amateur chemistry in the US of A is dead.

Biggest tip I can give you: don't do this without a degree, and don't do it at home. That is if you're in the USA. As I understand it, much of Latin America is like a paradise for amateur chemists, but Western Europe is on the decline (especially Deutchland).

[TheUnfocusedOne]

TheUnfocusedOne -

which of the chemicals listed do you think EPA is interested in?

My concern was more of what are you going to do with the waste?  I don't think you can transport waste without some sort of license (may vary by state though).  Acetonitrile, DMSO, THF and Methanol aren't exactly things you would want to be pouring down the drain. I personally wouldn't really use Acetonitrile or DMSO in moderate amounts without using a hood.

I'm just listing things to be wary about.  I'm willing to admit that I don't have any hard evidence to support my claims, but it would be best to look into it before hand instead of after and face considerable fines.

[Fleaker]

DMSO is relatively harmless, as is methanol which is commonly used in deicers (i.e. Heet)

As long as they are not halogenated, I would think they could quite easily be burned in a very hot campfire (or preferably, soaked into charcoal and burned with the help of a hairdryer).

[408]

5-aminotetrazole
diaminotetrazine


I guess it depends

[Glassblower]

Every once in a while you might need a custom piece of glassware.That's when you talk to me.

[Catsceo]

Methylene Chloride is a good non-polar solvent. Might be useful for acid-base extractions where you get an organic layer. And, its safer than chloroform.

Starch is a good for any suspensions.
EDTA is used quite often for Quant-labs, and may prove useful for inorganic syntheses.

I don't know if this counts, but a Nitrogen tank is useful for drying, and removing O2 for Iodine-experiments.

Ethanol might be useful - I see you have methanol, and isopropanol, but ethanol might be necessary for more non-polar solids.

Might not need the citric acid. You might need Phosphoric acid, or something with a decent Phosphate group.

Ethyl Acetate is a common for elution chambers, if you plan on running a few TLCs.


I think that's it. Not much experience, unfortunately.

I will most definitely look into all of this.  Thanks!

What exactly are you going to be doing...?

EPA will be all over you if you got those in your house.

Anything legal and within my means I suppose.

I wouldn't worry so much about the EPA as I would the local authorities. EPA can give piss all about amateur quantities of sulfuric acid and bases (recall what we clear our plumbing with?) and probably not much more about those organic substances (most of which are found in gasoline or in automotive products). The local authorities, however, do not take kindly to things like ether, THF, toluene, and ammonia (or lye for that matter). Those chemicals usually strike the "hey, I reckon this is a drug lab" thought in their head. Which is exactly the last thing you want. I would say stick to relatively benign inorganic chemistry, but really now, there is no "benign" chemistry in the eyes of an overzealous officer and prosecutor.

Consider yourself warned, amateur chemistry in the US of A is dead.

Biggest tip I can give you: don't do this without a degree, and don't do it at home. That is if you're in the USA. As I understand it, much of Latin America is like a paradise for amateur chemists, but Western Europe is on the decline (especially Deutchland).

I am aware of this.  I am not doing anything wrong, and don't ever plan to, and have nothing to hide.  I don't think a degree is possible with my horrible math skills (I have never been good at math).

TheUnfocusedOne -

which of the chemicals listed do you think EPA is interested in?

My concern was more of what are you going to do with the waste?  I don't think you can transport waste without some sort of license (may vary by state though).  Acetonitrile, DMSO, THF and Methanol aren't exactly things you would want to be pouring down the drain. I personally wouldn't really use Acetonitrile or DMSO in moderate amounts without using a hood.

I'm just listing things to be wary about.  I'm willing to admit that I don't have any hard evidence to support my claims, but it would be best to look into it before hand instead of after and face considerable fines.

Speaking of waste, I will most likely burn excess methanol and THF, and DSMO will stink up swears so I don't know what I will do with it.  Burning might be an issue too.  I am scratching acetonitrile off the list because I cannot find a cyanide antidote kit available to the public.  In the future I plan on having my own lab with a fume hood, so all experiments that need one I can go outside to do.

5-aminotetrazole
diaminotetrazine


I guess it depends

My, what a nice lab you have ther--- BOOM.

Every once in a while you might need a custom piece of glassware.That's when you talk to me.

I will be sure to message if I need anything

[408]

Fleaker is correct, and I would also avoid having camp fuel (aproximately equivalent to petroleum ether) present for the same reasons.

[Catsceo]

Fleaker is correct, and I would also avoid having camp fuel (aproximately equivalent to petroleum ether) present for the same reasons.

But what if I need them?  Proceed with caution?

[408]

If necessary, then be sure you have a camp stove somewhere not right beside your lab, where the fuel is also stored.

Yeah, it is sad home chemists need to operate like this...

Police generally do not know chemistry, and will charge first and let the courts sort it out.  Their identification of drug labs is based on photos of certain household products all in a pile next to an empty mayonaise jar usually.  Avoid anything that looks like this, and if you use household products in your lab, do not keep them in the lab, keep them where the regular household product would be stored. 

[Catsceo]

Hmm, I suppose I should ask this question that I forgot to think about: what kinds of glassware should I have and how many pieces minimum?  What about pipes and stoppers?  Anything else other than a heated magnetic stirrer I should have?  I want to get a crucible for heating compounds to their decomposition points, thats for sure.

[keven]

If you have special needs, please feel free to contact me. our company supply some custom chemicals.