and you haven't seen the site before, I highly recommend this guy. Has a whole string of "Things I won't work with"* posts full of chemistry knowledge such as
No, that’s a perfectly accurate statement of their research program: this new paper’s introduction includes the phrase “In our continuing efforts to introduce as many nitro groups associated with a tetrazole ring as possible. . .” and to most organic chemists that’s roughly equivalent to saying something like “In our continuing efforts to spray as much graffiti on the snouts of salt-water crocodiles as possible. . .”
Because if that were your research program, you’d seek out the most
humungous reptiles available and position yourself at the best angle to
give them a cloud of Krylon straight up the ol’ nostrils, right? Same
difference.
I think you'll enjoy it.
*link on his sidebar
I used to read his blog for TIWWW and the homeopathy ridicule. I know just enough chemistry to start shrieking, "He did WHAT with fluorine and oxygen?!"
ReplyDeletehttps://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2010/02/23/things_i_wont_work_with_dioxygen_difluoride
"A. G. Streng, folks, absolutely takes the corrosive exploding cake, and I have to tip my asbestos-lined titanium hat to him."
Much like you: I know just a little bit, but it's enough sometimes to wonder "Why the HELL did they do that?"
ReplyDeleteAnd that one you named is one of my favorites
He has an excellent 'history of chemistry' book as well, but his 'things I won't work with' series really does make me giggle. Even if you have only a basic grasp of chemistry, you can rapidly figure out why his commentary involves 'Haha, no way do I want to get near this.'
ReplyDelete"Not that it’s what you’d call a perfect compound in that regard – despite a lot of effort, it’s still not quite ready to be hauled around in trucks. There’s a recent report of a method to make a more stable form of it, by mixing it with TNT. Yes, this is an example of something that becomes less explosive as a one-to-one cocrystal with TNT. Although, as the authors point out, if you heat those crystals up the two components separate out, and you’re left with crystals of pure CL-20 soaking in liquid TNT, a situation that will heighten your awareness of the fleeting nature of life." --from his entry on CL-20, aka Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane.