An open air oxidatation was made with a chiral amine - copper complex and it ignited….

An aromatic compound (5g) was dissolved in 50 cm3 chloroform (a not flammable solvent), 1% of the copper-amine catalyst was added and stirred without heating.

We went out to drink a coffee, since nothing happened in the first half hour. When we got back to the lab the flask was as like seen on the pictures. No solvent left in the flask, some carbonized burns at the neck of the flask and most of my compound around the stirrer.

Chemistry could always cause some “surprise”.

9:30 pm • 29 September 2014 • 411 notes • View comments