## The Proper Preparation of Aluminum Amalgam

### by Eleusis

This is for all of you Dr. Shulgin fans out there that might be a little miffed at poor yields when attempting mild reductive aminations (not the fruity little Disney characters, kids). The trick here is *cleaning* the damned foil before you use it. Follow closely, be careful with the mercuric solutions, they can be absorbed transdermally (in other words, use gloves, dumbass). ### Preparation of Aluminum Amalgam Aluminum Amalgam is a useful mild reducing agent which requires careful preparation in order to be effective. The following is adapted from Vogel's Practical Organic Chemistry. Prepare 10% Sodium Hydroxide solution by dissolving 20g NaOH in 180mL of distilled water. Prepare a ~2% Mercuric (II) Chloride solution by dissolving 1g of HgCl2 in 50mL of distilled water. Cut 40g of aluminum foil into small squares approximately .5cm a side. Place the aluminum into a large beaker or other suitable glass container and cover with the sodium hydroxide solution. Heat gently in a well ventilated area until hydrogen gas evolves vigorously for about 3 minutes. Strain the foil through a plastic colander and wash first with distilled water, then with denatured alcohol. Pat dry then add to a beaker with the 2% HgCl2 solution. Allow to amalgamate for 2 minutes then pour off the supernatant. It is unethical to pour mercury compounds down the drain, but you'll probably do it anyway ;-). Now wash the foil in the colander as before, with distilled water, ethanol, and then a little bit of ether. Submerge the aluminum amalgam in ether to store until use.

- eleusis@netcom.com - Aluminum Amalgam Doc - 09/01/95 -