Talk:Chloral

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Chloral is not a narcotic. See the Wikipedia page for "narcotic" for the definition.

Ethanol?
"Chloral can be produced by chlorination of ethanol," I dont know much about this subject but shouldnt that be of ethanal, aka acetaldehyde? It's structurally the same as ethanal apart from the substitution of the chlorines, whereas it's different from ethanol... Or does the chlorine oxidise the ethanol to ethanal?


 * Traditionally household Laundry Bleach contains 6% Sodium Hypochlorite (and ordinary Salt) and will oxidize Ethanol to Acetaldehyde and then chlorinate it. Hypochlorite is quite high on the Electromotive Potential list, especially in alkaline solution: oxidizes Chromium+3 to Chromate. "Pool Chlorine", a dry powder, is ~52% Calcium Hypochlorite with the remainder Calcium Chloride (raw product of Chlorine gas reaction with Calcium Oxide). Note that Hypochlorite will oxidize pivaldehyde to pivalic acid but the three electron withdrawing chlorines on chloral stabilize it. Stronger alkali will cleave formate from chloral leaving Chloroform. Chlorination of Acetone ditto cleaves off acetic acid (note substitution increases stability, stabilizes enol; single substitution of acetaldehyde would be difficult). Anyway, reaction of Chlorine with Ethanol directly: 4 Cl2 + CH3CH2OH = 4 HCl + Cl3CCHO
 * Shjacks45 (talk) 21:46, 13 June 2013 (UTC)

2D Skeletal picture wrong?
Maybe I'm not seeing it, but where exactly is there any carbon? I see 3 Cl, 1 O, 1 H - but no C?--Cyberman TM (talk) 07:19, 7 January 2010 (UTC)
 * The image is correct. This is a standard way of depicting organic chemical structures, called a skeletal formula, in which carbon atoms are implicit. -- Ed (Edgar181) 12:17, 7 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Huh. I see. Didn't know that. Makes sense, though. Thanks.--Cyberman TM (talk) 12:53, 7 January 2010 (UTC)

Pungent odor? Seriously
Pure Chloral or its derivatives, Chloral Hydrate and Chloral Hemiacetal, do not have a "pungent" odor. Chloral hydrate has been used as Mickey Finn or knockout drops to incapacitate people, usually a few drops into an alcoholic beverage; "virtually undetectable". Chloral, like barbituate, is synergistic with alcohol in its action. Some victims et al refer to it as tasting cloyingly sweet. Bleach aka Sodium Hypochlorite is used in its manufacture so the impure product may be alluded to. c.f. Merck Chemical Index for reference. Shjacks45 (talk) 02:29, 14 June 2013 (UTC)