Cesium

Phenol can be made by decarboxylation of salicylic acid (derived from ASA of course) with NaOH or Ca(OH)2 in a manner that is analagous to the decarboxylation of benzoic acid to yield benzene.

Aside from purchasing it on ebay or the like, are emeralds probably the best, (only?) easily accessible source of beryllium?

Binary cyanides, thiocyanides, carbides, and compounds with similar anions are usually classified as inorganic compounds even though they contain carbon. Semantics, I guess. And even so they would not meet our definition of "metal organic" because they are just salts. Ferrocene is a great example though.

A blue gas? I don't think I ever recall hearing about a gas of this color. This would be what, nitrosyl cyanide?

HNO2 is not very soluble in water. That was what woelen was getting with the dilute sulfuric acid (as NOx gases). I suppose that concentrated sulfuric acid may be powerful enough to oxidize NO2- to NO3-. Upon heating, however, I would still suspect NOx to be formed so obviously that doesn't explain anything.

I followed the directions almost exactly from here: http://cavemanchemistry.com/cavebook/chfertilizer3.html

I know of no method with the mechanism you suggest. However, napthalene can be oxidized to phthalic acid with KMnO4. Then, with NaOH or lime you can decarboxylate the phthalic acid to benzoic acid, and finally to benzene. Sure sounds like a pain to me...but it should be possible.

Yes, woelen, they are merely salts, nothing like a Grignard or organolithium compound, but I was responding to YT's query about copper ethoxide.

This is indeed very fun to do. It's what magician's flash paper is made out of. I've nitrated cotton before with a mix of KNO3 and excess H2SO4. Good for those who don't have nitric acid.

A variety of metal alkoxides exist. See http://www.rareearthproducts.com/catalog/metal_alkoxides_513228_products.htm for example.

Why not make phosphoric acid from a phopshate and sulfuric acid?

Lol, yes, mineral oil...sorry about that.

Air can dissolve in oil and non-polar solvents. For example, sodium is sometimes used to store sodium, but the sodium can still slowly oxidize because oxygen from the air can dissolve in the oil.

Doubtful, it uses the word "alcohol" in many other instances in the book where isopropanol would make no sense.

Hey thanks guys, I'll try both set-ups next time I work with gases.