Most concentrated solution of P-aminophenol...

patrickjames

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What is the most concentrated solution of p-aminophenol I can get with propylene glycol? I am interested in mixing up a stock solution of say 500 ml. I was wondering if someone knew so I could avoid any waste of both time and materials.

Thanks

Patrick
 

rwyoung

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I don't have it here but if you can get your hands on a copy of the "Merk Index" it generally has such gems of information buried in its listings.

http://www.merckbooks.com/mindex/

I got my copy from a retiring chemistry professor. Not the absolute neweest edition, maybe about 10 years. Maybe your public library has one, definately a university library will have it.
 
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patrickjames

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Well I never really got anyone to give me an answer on this :/ so I went ahead and gave it a go. Started with propylene glycol 450ml at 120˚ and added 20g of P-aminophenol. The solution went brownish. Before I started this I thought I could get away without adding sodium metabisulfate, but apparently not. I immediately added 5g dissolved in a touch of water. I continued on. I eventually got 30g into solution but then went for 35g, continuously heating microwave style along the way. I ended up with something that looked a little like chicken soup in the end after it cooled. Needless to say, I don't think 35g will dissolve in 500ml of PG. When I get a chance to use this I will report back.

Patrick
 

Tom Hoskinson

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Did you add MetaBISUFATE or was it MetaBISULFITE?
 

gainer

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Did you use the p-aminophenol base or the hydrochloride? I never had it turn brown unless perhaps the p-aminophenol was partly oxidized to begin with. When you add the powder to a hot solution, the powder may be heated enough as it enters the solution to be oxidized by the time it is immersed. If there is some water in the glycol, the hot air above its surface will be humid, increasing the possibility of oxidation.
You were measuring Fahrenheit weren't you?

Be sure you use the base when you are dissolving in glycol or TEA.

I don't remember ever trying to see how much I could dissolve because, other than for Rodinal, which I always make in water, I don't need high concentrarions of p-aminophenol in glycol or TEA.

I make a slurry at room temperature when I am mixing in glycol, whatever I'm mixing. The main purpose of the heating is to reduce viscosity and thereby speed up the dissolving. When I'm using TEA, I warm it enough so I can stir it, stir in the powder, and then raise the temperature.

P-aminophenol generates intense colors on oxidation. A small amount of oxidized p-aminophenol can color a much larger volume of solution, yet not cause a perceptible change in the activity of the solution. Rodinal is a witness to that fact.

5 g of ascorbic acid would have been a better bet than the metabisulfite IMHO.
 
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patrickjames

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I used the base. I mixed up another batch just after as an addition to Pyrocat-p and put in the metabisulfite first and there was no color change when I added the PA. It stayed perfectly clear. 5g of metabisulfite and then 5g of PA to 500ml of glycol.

If I get anything close to what I am going for with this stuff I will mix up a new batch in the proper order.

Thanks for the tip about AA. I just picked up some this evening to try other things, but I will use it this way as well now that I know.

Patrick
 
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