Newton's Flaming Laser Sword
L-Carnitine Zinc
Created: Mar 6, 2017 Updated: Jul 13, 2021 archive results chemistry 1 minute read
A few notes on synthesizing L-Carnitine Zinc: a pharmaceutical? for protecting the gut. Possible use in the anti-hangover project.

Zinc Purification

Used food grade equipment: mason jars…
Zinc - 65.38 g/mol

Zinc Carbonate - 125.388 g/mol - ZnCO3

Zinc Sulfate - 161.436 g/mol - ZnSO4

Zinc Acetate - Zn(O2CCH3)2 - 183.48 g/mol

Sodium Carbonate - 105.99 g/mol

Procedure

Make Zinc Metal by Electrolysis - Nurdrage 1. Added 50g ZnSo4 to 200 ml H2O 2. Stirred until dissolved 3. Added ~0.1g zinc metal 4. Stirred for 30 min 5. Allowed to settle; decanted; filtered 6. Electroplated zinc metal onto aluminum cathode, MMO on titanium anode; constant stirring; 5v; 7. Recovered 7.61g solid zinc metal; rinsed, dried; recovered sulfuric acid; 8. Added 300 ml household vinegar 9.

  1. Zinc sulfate made previously by reacting impure zinc with sulfuric acid, filtering, then evaporating to dryness.
  2. 50.0 g zinc sulfate
  3. 57.7 g/100 ml solubility in H2O @ 25 &deg C; 101g/100ml H2O at 70 &deg C
  4. added 100 ml dH2O
  5. add extra 25 ml dH2O
  6. filtered
  7. rinsed with dH2O
  8. add 0.15g powdered zinc metal
  9. stir for 5 min
  10. filtered
  11. let sit 48 hrs
  12. 2x filter (small white precipitate formed)
  13. recrystallized- evaporated until first crystals formed then cooled in freezer
  14. 33g sodium carbonate dissolved in 100ml H2O, filtered
  15. Added to sulfate soln. until pH 7 - overshot adjusted with dilute HCl
  16. evaporated to dryness; yield: 38g ZnCO3 hydrate
  17. neutralized with household vinegar (slowly)
  18. filtered; a surprising amount of white precipitate left over - common ion solubility problems?
  19. evaporated to dryness; <100 °C to preserve hydrate form
  20. FAILED - sodium acetate present and discolors product from #19 -> need to find an alterate route without sodium ion