Magnesium sulphate

Some ground waters contain significant concentrations of both SOj and Mg , and are more aggressive towards concrete than solutions of 

The brucite forms a hard, dense skin on the mortar or concrete, which tends to hinder further attack (L6). The OH present in the pore solution would soon be consumed were it not replenished by dissolution of CH and decalcification of C-S-H, by the reactions shown in equations 12.3 and 12.4. In the reaction of a cement paste with an MgS04 solution, the CH and C-S-H thus serve as sources of both Ca and OH . 

According to Lea (L6), the ettringite formed by the reaction of SO4 is itself ultimately decomposed by Mg , leaving a residue of gypsum and hydrous alumina. This was attributed to a decrease in the pH of the pore solution to that of saturated Mg(OH)2, which is about 10.5. Such a decrease 

Under some circumstances, the Mg enters sparingly soluble phases other than brucite. Roy et al. (R70) observed the formation of a hydro-talcite-type phase in a slag cement paste that had been treated with MgS04 solution. Its formation was possibly favoured by the enhanced availability of A1(0H)4 provided by the slag. Cole (C70) reported the formation of a hydrated magnesium silicate in a deteriorated concrete seawall. 

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Epsom salts, MgS04,7H20. See magnesium sulphate. 

Magnesium sulphate is a useful drying agent as can be seen from the following table of equUibrium vapour pressures of the various possible tems at 25° ... 

Anhydrous magnesium sulphate. This is an excellent, neutral desiccating agent and is inexpensive. It is rapid in its action, chemically inert and fairly efficient, and can be employed for most compounds including those (esters, aldehydes, ketones, nitriles, amides, etc.) to which calcium chloride is not applicable. 

Granular magnesium sulphate Is prepared by heating the heptahydrate gently (at 150-175°) in an oven until most of the water of hydration has been... 

Metallic sodium. This metal is employed for the drying of ethers and of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons. The bulk of the water should first be removed from the liquid or solution by a preliminary drying with anhydrous calcium chloride or magnesium sulphate. Sodium is most effective in the form of fine wire, which is forced directly into the liquid by means of a sodium press (see under Ether, Section II,47,i) a large surface is thus presented to the liquid. It cannot be used for any compound with which it reacts or which is affected by alkalis or is easily subject to reduction (due to the hydrogen evolved during the dehydration), viz., alcohols, acids, esters, organic halides, ketones, aldehydes, and some amines. 

Formamide. Commercial formamide may contain excess of formic acid. It is purified by passing ammonia gas into the mixture until a slight alkaline reaction is obtained. The ammonium formate thus formed is precipitated by the addition of acetone the filtrate, after drying over anhydrous magnesium sulphate, is distilled under reduced pressure. Pure formamide has b.p. IO571I mm. 

Dichlorobutane. Place 22-5g. of redistilled 1 4-butanediol and 3 ml. of dry pyridine in a 500 ml. three necked flask fitted with a reflux condenser, mechanical stirrer and thermometer. Immerse the flask in an ice bath. Add 116 g. (71 ml.) of redistilled thionyl chloride dropwise fix>m a dropping funnel (inserted into the top of the condenser) to the vigorously stirred mixture at such a rate that the temperature remains at 5-10°. When the addition is complete, remove the ice bath, keep the mixture overnight, and then reflux for 3 hours. Cool, add ice water cautiously and extract with ether. Wash the ethereal extract successively with 10 per cent sodium bicarbonate solution and water, dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate and distil. Collect the 1 4-dichloro-butane at 55-5-56-5°/14 mm. the yield is 35 g. The b.p. under atmospheric pressure is 154 155°. 

Dibromobutane from 1 4 butanediol). In a 500 ml. threenecked flask fltted with a stirrer, reflux condenser and dropping funnel, place 154 g. (105 ml.) of 48 per cent, hydrobromic acid. Cool the flask in an ice bath. Add slowly, with stirring, 130 g. (71 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid. To the resulting ice-cold solution add 30 g. of redistilled 1 4-butanediol dropwise. Leave the reaction mixture to stand for 24 hours heat for 3 hours on a steam bath. The reaction mixture separates into two layers. Separate the lower layer, wash it successively with water, 10 per cent, sodium carbonate solution and water, and then dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate. Distil and collect the 1 4-dibromo-butane at 83-84°/12 mm. The yield is 55 g. 

In a 500 ml. three-necked flask, equipped with a thermometer, a sealed Hershberg stirrer and a reflux condenser, place 32-5 g. of phosphoric oxide and add 115-5 g. (67-5 ml.) of 85 per cent, orthophosphoric acid (1). When the stirred mixture has cooled to room temperature, introduce 166 g. of potassium iodide and 22-5 g. of redistilled 1 4-butanediol (b.p. 228-230° or 133-135°/18 mm.). Heat the mixture with stirring at 100-120° for 4 hours. Cool the stirred mixture to room temperature and add 75 ml. of water and 125 ml. of ether. Separate the ethereal layer, decolourise it by shaking with 25 ml. of 10 per cent, sodium thiosulphate solution, wash with 100 ml. of cold, saturated sodium chloride solution, and dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate. Remove the ether by flash distillation (Section 11,13 compare Fig. II, 13, 4) on a steam bath and distil the residue from a Claisen flask with fractionating side arm under diminished pressure. Collect the 1 4-diiodobutane at 110°/6 mm. the yield is 65 g. 

Equip a 1-litre three-necked flask with a powerful mechanical stirrer, a separatory funnel with stem extending to the bottom of the flask, and a thermometer. Cool the flask in a mixture of ice and salt. Place a solution of 95 g. of A.R. sodium nitrite in 375 ml. of water in the flask and stir. When the temperature has fallen to 0° (or slightly below) introduce slowly from the separatory funnel a mixture of 25 ml. of water, 62 5 g. (34 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid and 110 g. (135 ml.) of n-amyl alcohol, which has previously been cooled to 0°. The rate of addition must be controlled so that the temperature is maintained at 1° the addition takes 45-60 minutes. AUow the mixture to stand for 1 5 hours and then filter from the precipitated sodium sulphate (1). Separate the upper yellow n-amyl nitrite layer, wash it with a solution containing 1 g. of sodium bicarbonate and 12 5 g. of sodium chloride in 50 ml. of water, and dry it with 5-7 g. of anhydrous magnesium sulphate. The resulting crude n-amyl nitrite (107 g.) is satisfactory for many purposes (2). Upon distillation, it passes over largely at 104° with negligible decomposition. The b.p. under reduced pressure is 29°/40 mm. 

About 0-1 per cent, of hydroquinone should be added as a stabiliser since n-hexaldehyde exhibits a great tendency to polymerise. To obtain perfectly pure n-/iexaldehyde, treat the 21 g. of the product with a solution of 42 g. of sodium bisulphite in 125 ml. of water and shake much bisulphite derivative will separate. Steam distil the suspension of the bisulphite compound until about 50 ml. of distillate have been collected this will remove any non-aldehydic impurities together with a little aldehyde. Cool the residual aldehyde bisulphite solution to 40-50 , and add slowly a solution of 32 g. of sodium bicarbonate in 80 ml. of water, and remove the free aldehyde by steam distillation. Separate the upper layer of n-hexaldehyde, wash it with a little water, dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate and distil the pure aldehyde passes over at 128-128-5°. 

Pour the reaction mixture into a 1-litre round-bottomed flaak, add 250 ml. of water, fit a still head and a condenser for downward distillation (Fig. II, 13, 3, but without the thermometer). Distil the mixture until about 125 ml. of distillate (two layers) have been collected. Saturate with salt (about 30 g. are required), and separate the upper layer of cj/cZohexanone extract the aqueous layer with 25-30 ml. of ether and combine the ether extract with the cycZohexanone layer. Dry with about 6 g. of anhydrous sodium or magnesium sulphate, filter the solution into a distilling flask of suitable size to which a condenser has previously been attached. Distil oflF the ether from a water bath—a beaker containing warm water is satisfactory. Distil the residual liquid from an air bath or a wire gauze, and collect the cyclohexanone at 153-156°. The yield is 16 g. 

Equip a 1-litre three-necked flask with a mechanical stirrer, a separatory funnel and a thermometer. Place a solution of 47 g. of sodium cyanide (or 62 g. of potassium cyanide) in 200 ml. of water in the flask, and introduce 58 g. (73-5 ml.) of pure acetone. Add slowly from the separatory fumiel, with constant stirring, 334 g. (275 ml.) of 30 per cent, sulphuric acid by weight. Do not allow the temperature to rise above 15-20° add crushed ice, if necessary, to the mixture by momentarily removing the thermometer. After all the acid has been added continue the stirring for 15 minutes. Extract the reaction mixture with three 50 ml. portions of ether, dry the ethereal extracts with anhydrous sodium or magnesium sulphate, remove most of the ether on a water bath and distil the residue rapidly under diminished pressure. The acetone cyanohydrin passes over at 80-82°/15 mm. The yield is 62 g. 

Dry the combined pinacolone fractions over anhydrous magnesium sulphate and distil. Collect the pinacolone at 103-107°. The yield is 62 g. 

Fit a 750 ml. round-bottomed flask with a fractionating column attached to a condenser set for downward distillation. Place 500 g. of diacetone alcohol (the crude product is quite satisfactory), 01 g. of iodine and a few fragments of porous porcelain in the flask. Distil slowly. with a small free flame (best in an air bath) and collect the following fractions (a) 56-80° (acetone and a little mesityl oxide) (6) 80-126° (two layers, water and mesityl oxide) and (c) 126-131° (mesityl oxide). Whilst fraction (c) is distilling, separate the water from fraction (6), dry with anhydrous potassium carbonate or anhydrous magnesium sulphate, and fractionate from a small flask collect the mesityl oxide at 126-131°. The yield is about 400 g. 

Ethyl n-butyrate. Use a mixture of 88 g. (92 ml.) of n-butyric acid, 23 g. (29 ml.) of ethanol and 9 g. (5 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid. Reflux for 14 hours. Pour into excess of water, wash several times with water, followed by saturated sodium bicarbonate solution until all the acid is removed, and finally with water. Dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate, and distU. The ethyl n-but3rrate passes over at 119 5-120-5°, Yield 40 g. An improved yield can be obtained by distilhng the reaction mixture through an efficient fractionating column until the temperature rises to 125°, and purifying the crude ester as detailed above under methyl acetate. 

Ethyl formate. Reflux a mixture of 61 g. (50 ml.) of A.R. formic acid (98/100 per cent.) and 31 g. (39-5 ml.) of absolute ethyl alcohol for 24 hours. Transfer to a Claisen flask with fractionating side arm (or attach a fractionating column to the flask), distil and collect the liquid passing over below 62°. Wash the distillate with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and saturate with salt before removing the ester layer. Dry with anhydrous sodium or magnesium sulphate, filter, and distil. The ethyl formate passes over at 53-54°. The yield is 36 g. 

The distillate contains alcohol, toluene and water, and may be dried with anhydrous potassium carbonate and used again for esterification after the addition of the necessary quantity of alcohol alternatively, the toluene may be recovered by washing with water, drying with anhydrous calcium chloride or anhydrous magnesium sulphate, and distiUing. 

Place a mixture of 25 5 g. of n-valerio acid (Sections 111,83 and 111,84), 30 g. (37 -5 ml.) of dry n-propyl alcohol, 50 ml. of sodium-dried benzene and 10 g. (5-5 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid in a 250 ml. round-bottomed flask equipped with a vertical condenser, and reflux for 36 hours. Pour into 250 ml. of water and separate the upper layer. Extract the aqueous layer with ether, and add the extract to the benzene solution. Wash the combined extracts with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution until effervescence ceases, then with water, and dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate. Remove the low boiling point solvents by distillation (use the apparatus of Fig. II, 13,4 but with a Claisen flask replacing the distilling flask) the temperature will rise abruptly and the fi-propyl n-valerate will pass over at 163-164°. The yield is 28 g. 

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