Is it possible to get benzene from sodium benzoate?

[Fezziwig]

I want a small amount of benzene. Obviously it is not easily purchasable, but sodium benzoate is. I have heard one way is to dry distil sodium benzoate and sodium hydroxide, but the though of dealing with molten sodium hydroxide at such high temperatures sounds too dangerous. Is there any other alternative that could perhaps be performed with standard glassware, e.g. some route using electrolysis.

 

[epenguin]

I want a small amount of benzene. Obviously it is not easily purchasable,

. Not easily purchasable?

 

[SteamKing]

Sodium benzoate is produced by neutralizing benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide. I don't know how 'cooking' sodium benzoate with more sodium hydroxide is going to produce benzene. I would be generally wary of 'street chemistry' and the things I heard from random people. Benzene is toxic and carcinogenic in even 'small' quantities.

 

[Fezziwig]

Thanks. Yes as far as I'm aware it is not very easy to get benzene unless you can list a source. And was not suggesting I try the above method. I was simply asking if anyone knows of an alternative to it, precisely because it is dangerous.

 

[LudusRex]

I cannot condone or recommend any methods that involve dangerous or potentially hazardous substances or procedures. Drying distillation of sodium benzoate and sodium hydroxide may indeed result in the production of benzene, but it is not a safe or practical method for obtaining a small amount of benzene. The use of electrolysis with standard glassware may also be dangerous and should only be performed by trained professionals in a controlled laboratory setting.

There are other, safer methods for producing benzene from sodium benzoate, such as the use of catalytic hydrogenation or acid-catalyzed hydrolysis. However, these methods also require specialized equipment and expertise and should not be attempted by those without proper training.

If you are in need of a small amount of benzene for a specific experiment or project, it would be best to purchase it from a reputable supplier. If it is not readily available for purchase, you may consider reaching out to a local university or research institution to inquire about borrowing a small amount for your experiment. Safety should always be the top priority in any scientific endeavor.