Chloroform is a chemical compound that is a colorless liquid that contains chlorine. The substance was first obtained as a rubber solvent. It is also used to produce freon, dyes, and pesticides.
Until the middle of the twentieth century, the liquid was used in surgery and pharmacology as an anesthetic and anesthetic. However, it later turned out that it is very toxic, and also has a rather strong narcotic effect. Poisoning with this drug has a detrimental effect on all organs.
Name
The name of this substance has several varieties. After all, like all organic compounds, it obeys the laws of the general nomenclature of molecules, trivial names and a name based on the composition of the molecule.
Therefore, there are several possible names for chloroform:
- carbon trichloride;
- chloroform;
- trichloromethane.
Chloroform: what is it? You can understand it from the names of the compounds, or you can consider the geometric structure of the molecule.
Molecule structure
The chloroform molecule consists of three chlorine atoms and one hydrogen atom, each atom bonded to a central carbon. Essentially, the trichloromethane molecule is the product of the radical replacement of hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms in the methane molecule when exposed to certain conditions.
Moreover, all C-CL bonds are completely equivalent and highly polar. The C-H bond, against the background of other bonds that have appeared in the molecule, becomes even more polarized and becomes extremely vulnerable. Therefore, with further processing of the molecule, the C-H bond is easily broken and hydrogen is replaced by other atoms (for example, also chlorine with the formation of carbon tetrachloride).
Let's look at what chloroform looks like. The formula looks like: CHCL3. The structural formula will be as follows:
Both structures reflect the chemical essence that chloroform carries. The formula shows that the molecule is quite stable and strict conditions must be applied to enter into reactions.
Physical properties
The physical properties of trichloromethane can be characterized as follows:
- Under normal conditions (room temperature, normal atmospheric pressure 100 kPa, humidity not higher than 80%), this substance is a strongly odorous, colorless liquid. The smell of chloroform is quite sharp, heavy, enveloping, reminiscent of the smell of ether. The substance tastes sweet, but you should not try it, as it is extremely toxic.
- It is insoluble in water and can only dissolve in different types of organic solvents. With water it can form low-concentration (0.23%) solutions.
- The boiling point of this compound is lower than that of water, approximately 620C.
- The melting point is sharply negative, -63.50C.
- The density of chloroform is greater than the density of water and is 1.483 g/cm3.
- The strong, pronounced toxic nature of the substance in its effect on the body belongs to the group of narcotic compounds.
When dissolved in water, carbon trichloride is capable of forming azeotropic mixtures. In this case, the chloroform in the solution will be 97.5%, and water only 2.5%. The boiling point of such a solution is lower compared to that of pure trichloromethane and is 520C.
Side effects
Exceeding the recommended dose of Chloroform when euthanizing a patient by inhalation , and especially by inhaling concentrated vapors of this substance (when the concentration exceeds 2%), leads to weakening of cardiac activity , a sharp drop in blood pressure (up to the development of collapse ) and cardiac arrest .
Chloroform vapors have an irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the eyes , respiratory tract , and when taken orally, also on the gastric mucosa . As a result of such exposure in humans:
- mucous membranes turn red;
- burning sensation occurs ;
- abundant secretion of mucus, tears and saliva ;
- coughing attacks occur ;
- of nausea appears ;
- vomiting occurs .
Increased secretion of mucus provokes breathing difficulties , and in some cases can cause suffocation .
As a result of the secretion by the salivary glands, a person often begins to vomit . The entry of vomit into the lungs , in turn, leads to suffocation or the development of pneumonia .
Chloroform vapor also irritates sensitive nerve endings located in the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract , which has a reflex effect on the function of the respiratory and vasomotor centers , as well as on the activity of the vagus nerve center .
As a consequence, after initial excitation, a person’s breathing and heartbeat (sometimes to a complete stop).
Chloroform has the ability to penetrate intact skin , initially causing irritation. Prolonged local exposure is accompanied by severe inflammation and blistering . dermatitis or eczema may develop .
In some cases, the patient may develop an addiction to Chloroform due to ingestion of the substance or abuse of it in the form of inhalation. This type of substance abuse is called “chloroformomania.”
Chemical properties
Like all chlorinated derivatives of methane, chloroform does not exhibit chemical activity. Therefore, there are few reactions that are characteristic of it. For example, treatment with chlorine molecules in the process of technological production of all methane derivatives by chlorination. To do this, liquid chloroform is taken, the reactions proceed according to a radical mechanism, requiring the presence of ultraviolet radiation as a prerequisite and light quanta.
CHCL3 + CL2 = CCL4 + HCL
The reaction equation shows that the product is completely chlorine-substituted methane - carbon tetrachloride. Such reactions are one of the ways to produce carbon tetrachloride in industry.
Chemical properties also include an azeotropic mixture with water, which chloroform can produce. What it is? That is, one in which the components of the solution do not undergo any changes when boiling. It is impossible to separate such a mixture into fractions using the boiling method.
Another type of reaction that chloroform can undergo is the replacement of halogen atoms with other atoms or functional groups. For example, when reacted with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, it forms sodium acetate:
chloroform + NaOH(aqueous solution) = sodium acetate + sodium chloride + water
In addition, a practically significant reaction is the interaction of chloroform with ammonia and potassium hydroxide (concentrated solution), since as a result of such interaction potassium cyanide is formed.
Chloroform + ammonia + potassium hydroxide = KCN + potassium chloride + water
Chloroform storage
In the light, trichloromethane decomposes to form dangerous, toxic products:
Chloroform = phosgene + hydrochloric acid + molecular chlorine + carbonic anhydride
Therefore, the storage conditions for chloroform must be special - dark glass bottles with tightly ground stoppers. The bottle itself should be stored away from sunlight.
Content:
- Characteristics
- Action
- Impact on women
- Consequences of use
- Risk of overdose
Butyrate (Pinocchio, lemonade, boutique, bottle, dance water, Ksyukha, traffic jams) is a psychoactive substance from the group of nervous system depressants.
In small doses, the effect of butyrate on the body resembles the effects of taking alcohol or ecstasy. Overdose is fraught with life-threatening complications.
Receipt
Chloroform is produced in several ways.
1. A multi-stage process of methane chlorination, which occurs by a radical mechanism under the influence of ultraviolet light and high temperature. The result is not only chloroform, but also three other products: chloromethane, dichloromethane and carbon tetrachloride. The reaction looks like this:
CH4 + CL2 = CH3CL + HCL - chloromethane and hydrogen chloride are formed
CH3CL + CL2 = CH2CL2 + HCL - dichloromethane and hydrogen chloride are formed
CH2CL2 + CL2 = CHCL3 + HCL - trichloromethane (chloroform) and hydrogen chloride are formed
CHCL3 + CL2 = CCL4 + HCL - carbon tetrachloride and hydrogen chloride are formed
In this way, trichloromethane is synthesized in industry.
2. Interaction between bleaching lime and ethyl alcohol. This is a laboratory method.
3. Preparation of chloroform by electrolysis (action of electric current) on alkali metal chlorides in an atmosphere of acetone or ethyl alcohol. Also a laboratory method for producing trichloromethane.
Chloroform price, where to buy
Many people are interested in where they can buy Chloroform and whether it is possible to buy medical Chloroform in a pharmacy. Since all sedatives used in anesthesiology are dispensed either by prescription or according to special lists for medical institutions, they are not sold in regular pharmacies.
Websites of manufacturing companies and some online pharmacies offer to order the drug.
You can buy Chloroform in Ukraine for 97-150 UAH per 1 liter. The drug from the Chinese manufacturer Ruiyuan Group Limited in St. Petersburg or Moscow is sold for an average of 3200-3550 rubles.
The product from the Australian company Dentalife sells for $60 per package. At the same time, it can be delivered to all major cities of the CIS (in particular, to Kyiv, Moscow, St. Petersburg).
Cleaning
Once chloroform is obtained, it needs to be purified. After all, if it is used for medical purposes, then the content of impurities in it is simply unacceptable. If the purpose of use is technical, then the content of foreign substances should be limited.
There may be various impurities that chloroform contains. What it is? What are they?
- Ethanol.
- Hydrogen chloride.
- Phosgene.
- Chlorine.
There are two main ways to purify chloroform from these impurities:
- abundant rinsing with water followed by drying (allows you to completely get rid of ethanol);
- trichloromethane is washed with a strong acid, then with a strong alkali, then with water. Subsequent processing consists of drying using a water-removing agent - calcium chloride. The substance is then distilled in a fractional column.
Overdose
Chloroform has a toxic effect on metabolism and the function of internal organs . The odor threshold is 0.0003 mg per liter. A clearly noticeable specific odor is observed when the concentration of Chloroform is 0.02 mg per liter.
The narcotic concentration of the substance is 0.25-0.5 mg/l. At this concentration, Chloroform provokes a change in the rate of development of reflex muscle tension , a change in the course of metabolic processes, gastric and intestinal disorders , arrhythmia , a decrease in the amount of urine excreted by the kidneys and the appearance of sugar in the urine .
Serious poisonings with the substance most often occur in people working in the pharmaceutical industry. They are accompanied by dysfunction of the heart and respiratory center , damage to the mucous membranes ( eyes , stomach , respiratory tract ).
Milder forms of poisoning are accompanied by vomiting , increased weakness throughout the body, and dizziness. Some people may experience stomach pain and restlessness.
Laboratory tests may show changes in the cellular composition of the blood , characterized by increased or decreased levels of white blood cells .
Even low concentrations of Chloroform can cause severe poisoning with liver damage .
Treatment of poisoning with Chloroform
If symptoms of poisoning occur when chloroform is administered to a patient by inhalation, anesthesia . Further measures are aimed at facilitating the airway .
a ventilator , oxygen therapy is used to eliminate oxygen starvation (humidified oxygen is supplied for inhalation) and hyperventilation is provided .
It is recommended to inhale humidified oxygen continuously for 2-4 hours, then for 30-40 minutes at 15-minute intervals.
To ensure effective oxygen transport and eliminate the symptoms and consequences of intoxication , they also resort to infusion-transfusion therapy .
The patient is warmed up and given intravenous hydrocortisone and dexamethasone (at a dose of 1 mg per kilogram of body weight). To remove toxic products the blood hemodialysis and hemosorption . of pneumonia is also considered advisable .
To normalize heart , subcutaneous injections with caffeine (10%), camphor (20%) and cordiamine (25%) are prescribed. The volume of one injection is 1-2 ml.
If symptoms of poisoning occur as a result of oral ingestion of a substance, first aid boils down to intubation of the lungs , gastric lavage , prescribing activated charcoal and laxatives to the patient - sodium salt of sulfuric acid (sodium sulfate) and vaseline oil .
The effect of Chloroform wears off within a few days. intestinal lavage before clean rinsing water (so-called siphon enema ).
Procedures aimed at preventing kidney and liver . Experts often resort to bloodletting (150-300 ml) with further partial blood replacement.
If the patient has developed a collaptoid state (mild form of collapse ), he is indicated for intravenous administration of 0.5 ml of a 0.05% solution of Strophanthin in 10-20 ml of glucose . Metazon may be prescribed .
Therapy using sympathomimetic amines ( epinephrine , norepinephrine , ephedrine , etc.) is contraindicated. In addition, sulfonamide and chlorine-containing sleeping pills should not be prescribed.
After poisoning with the drug, consuming fatty foods and alcohol is strictly prohibited.
History of discovery
Since when has chloroform been known? What is it and what was it used for before? Let's try to figure it out.
The first mention of this substance dates back to 1831. It was then that trichloromethane was obtained by chemist Guthrie from Harbor. However, his goal was not this substance at all; it was a successful by-product. The chemist was looking for solvents for rubber, experimented and accidentally obtained chloroform.
In the same year and a year later, two more scientists independently obtained this substance as a result of experiments. These are Eustace Liebig (who made a huge contribution to the development of chemistry) and Eugen Suberein. Their task was to find an anesthetic, and they found it. True, they learned about this effect of chloroform and began to use it a little later, only in the 1840s.
The structural formula and interaction of atoms inside the molecule was studied and constructed by the chemist Dumas in 1834. He proposed and assigned the name to chloroform, which he gave in honor of ants. In Latin, ant is pronounced formiata, and the formic acid contained in these insects can be formed from chloroform. Based on this, its name was determined.
pharmachologic effect
Chloroform belongs to the category of neurotropic drugs used for inhalation anesthesia . The name of the substance in Latin is Chloroformium .
The drug is characterized by the ability to have a high anesthetic and toxic effect when inhaled, causing reversible paralysis of all vital functions.
Moreover, this effect is found on all living organisms - the simplest microorganisms , bacteria , fungi , higher and lower plants, animals. Under the influence of Chloroform, their vital activity and growth are suspended, and the growth of seeds in plants stops.
It is on this that the antiseptic and antienzymatic properties of the substance are based: in particular, it helps slow down the processes of decay and alcoholic fermentation of sugar .
Biological effect on humans
Chloroform fully justifies its use as an anesthetic. The effect on humans is very specific, covering several major organ systems.
The degree of impact depends on factors such as:
- concentration of inhaled substance;
- duration of use;
- way to get inside.
If we are talking about pure, medical chloroform, then its use is strictly dosed, precise and local. Therefore, of the possible contraindications, only some are implemented. If we are talking about evaporated chloroform in the air and inhalation of it by a person, then the effect here is much more serious and destructive.
So, when inhaling trichloromethane for 10 minutes, swelling of the respiratory tract, pulmonary spasms, cough, and sore throat may occur. If exposure is not stopped, poisoning will occur immediately. The nervous system (both the brain and the spinal cord) will be affected, resulting in death.
Chloroform also has a detrimental effect on the liver, digestive organs and kidneys. Its effect is especially destructive if the solution is taken orally. The following reactions of the body to taking chloroform are observed:
- dizziness;
- vomiting and nausea;
- persistent headaches;
- depression of the nervous system and, as a result, fatigue;
- elevated temperature;
- allergic rashes, redness of the skin.
Studies and experiments on different animals showed the following results:
- Long-term ingestion of chloroform orally in the form of liquid causes abortion, multiple pathologies and mutagenesis of future generations.
- When living in an atmosphere of chloroform, animals were depressed, lethargic, and their life expectancy was significantly reduced.
- Based on experiments on mice, it was concluded that trichloromethane is carcinogenic.
Such results were obtained by chemist and medical scientists when studying the effects of chloroform on living organisms.
[edit] Use
Chloroform perfectly dissolves many organic materials, but due to its high toxicity, the use of chloroform is gradually being replaced by dichloromethane. Deuterochloroform (CDCl3) is one of the most commonly used solvents for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Widely used since 1847 for anesthesia. For a long time it was the dominant inhalational anesthetic and has now been replaced, along with other harmful halocarbons, by less toxic anesthetics due to its negative effects on the liver and kidneys.
Application in medicine
The first mention of the use of this substance for medical purposes dates back to 1847. It was then that the scientist, doctor, and chemist Holmes Coote first proposed the use of chloroform as an anesthesia. This had a positive effect on the person during the operation - complete loss of consciousness, absence of any sensations.
However, later, when the patient regained consciousness, it turned out that his nausea and vomiting did not stop. Later, more precise standards for the use of this substance were established to avoid such consequences.
The English obstetrician James Simpson played a very important role in the introduction of chloroform into medicine. It was he who proved the positive significance and effect of the compound during the birth process.
However, over time, newer, safer and more modern methods of anesthesia than chloroform have emerged. Its use in medicine has practically disappeared. Today it is used in the form:
- ointment component for external use;
- as an additional anesthetic in combination with other substances and only in very small concentrations;
- as drops to relieve nausea and vomiting.
Indications for use Chloroform
Chloroform is used as an anesthetic for surgical interventions. In addition, the range of medicines also includes the drug “Chloroform for external use”.
Since one of the main properties of Chloroform is its ability to irritate the skin and mucous membranes, it is often used in combination with turpentine or methyl ester of salicylic acid for rubbing against neuralgia and inflammatory lesions of skeletal muscles (myositis) .
In some cases, chloroform in the form of drops (mixed with tincture of valerian root ) is prescribed for hiccups , flatulence , vomiting and pain in the epigastric region .
To reduce the sensitivity of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract affected by toxic substances with irritating and tear action (in particular, arsenic hydrogen - one of the most powerful inorganic poisons that has a blood-destroying effect and provokes the development of malignant tumors ), chloroform is prescribed in the form of a so-called anti-smoke mixture, which contains in addition to it, it includes ethyl and ammonia alcohols , as well as anesthetic ether .
