Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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In this video I synthesize cyclopentanone ethylene ketal which is the precursor to the legendary cubic molecule - cubane using a ton of organic chemistry while everything turns into tar.

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Also, excuse me for my poor speaking, English is not my native language so I have some trouble with pronunciation, in case you don't understand something there are always subtitles made by me.

Reference papers:
researchgate.net/publication/244572672_Dimethyl_Cubane-14-dicarboxylate_A_Practical_Laboratory_Scale_Synthesis
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA210368.pdf
pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/op400181g
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2023/OB/D3OB00231D
orgsyn.org/demo.aspx?prep=CV1P0192

0:00 Intro
4:57 Making cyclopentanone from adipic acid
11:54 Making p-toluene sulfonic acid monohydrate using the risky method
14:55 Making cyclopentanone ethylene ketal using my DIY abomination
19:17 Purifying the ketal using fractional vaccum distillation
22:58 Outro

#chemistry
#experiment
#beautiful
#demonstration
#science
#organicchemistry
#cubane
#cool
#reaction
#yellow