[Ballistic]

OK OK I've cocked up big time, I've made a mistake - what do I do?

I have a jar of Copper Chloride which hadn't been opened for years. When I opened it, it was a liquid - the dihydrate.

I decide that if I can suspend it above boiling water it  will dehydrate back to a powder.

As I was placing the dish above the water, it flipped over and all went into the boiling water.

I now have a pot of boiling water and copper Chloride. Now I am worried as it is a poison, about the steam this will give off as I don't yet have a fume cabinet.

Any suggestions as to how to proceed?


Many thanks

[Ballistic]

The steel pan started turning to copper for obvious reasons, also.

[Stepan]

Turn off the heat.

Take it outside. Use non-metal (no steel, no aluminum, no any metal) container, just CHEMICAL glassware or polymers. Evaporate it outside on low flame burner, hotplate (below the boiling point) or just on the sun. Filtrate, recrystallize and you can use it again.

[Ballistic]

Thank you - I feel like a first prize prune.

[408]

The pure steam is harmless

What is more dangerous is the aerosol generated from rapid boiling.  I would heat to 70-90C, and let it steam off till dry.

Not really a bad cockup...interesting expression by the way UK or australia?

[Ballistic]

It's the UK. I knew I shouldn't start doing anything with shakey hands. Darn it.

[Stepan]

When you boil, the CuCl2 emits some HCl vapour - not too toxic but still not the best for indoor lab.

[Ballistic]

OK, so lets turn this thread around, instead of idiot of the month award nominee... Lets say I have 25 grams of copper left over in the bottom of my stainless steel saucepans, how much iron is in the finished compound now I have dried it out and in what form? I can give you the weight of the product as well if need be.