What is it?

[hermanntrude]

A volatile solid, which sublimes at room temperature, this compound has a characteristic odour similar to that of ozone. It is used widely in organic synthesis, and as a staining agent. It was also used to confirm the structure of buckminsterfullerene.

[UC]

A volatile solid, which sublimes at room temperature, this compound has a characteristic odour similar to that of ozone. It is used widely in organic synthesis, and as a staining agent. It was also used to confirm the structure of buckminsterfullerene.

 

Too many hints. It's OsO4. If you can smell it, you're not using enough safety equipment and should head for a hospital, as it can cause pulmonary edema and death below these concentrations. For the same reason it can stain tissue specimens, the fumes will damage your eyes and can cause blindness.

 

Next!

 

I am a very strongly colored kind of "salt", with an unconventional anion. I have been known for a very long time in solution, but have only recently been isolated as a solid using special ligands. You might say that the cations are as tightly bound as if they were in a grave. What am I?

Edited November 11, 2009 by UC

[DJBruce]

Well, as UC's puzzle has gone over 7 months without being solved I think I'll give a new puzzle to maybe revive this game.

 

I can be bitter or I can be tasteless. It all depends on your genes.

[UC]

Well, as UC's puzzle has gone over 7 months without being solved I think I'll give a new puzzle to maybe revive this game.

 

I can be bitter or I can be tasteless. It all depends on your genes.

 

Easy. Phenylthiourea.

 

Also, still looking for an answer for mine.

[mississippichem]

Here's an obscure one,

 

-This compound displays extreme valency (coordination number is two digits)

-The ligands in this compound are perhaps the stangest ever

-The metal center often takes oxidation states of +2 or +4

-The compound is binary in the sense that there is one metal center and one ligand type.

-The ligands, in their atomic form have very high ionization energies.

 

I am a very strongly colored kind of "salt", with an unconventional anion. I have been known for a very long time in solution, but have only recently been isolated as a solid using special ligands. You might say that the cations are as tightly bound as if they were in a grave. What am I?

 

Could this be a solution of a group I metal in ammonia known as an electride salt?

 

ex. [Na(NH₃)_x]⁺ e^-

[UC]

Here's an obscure one,

 

-This compound displays extreme valency (coordination number is two digits)

-The ligands in this compound are perhaps the stangest ever

-The metal center often takes oxidation states of +2 or +4

-The compound is binary in the sense that there is one metal center and one ligand type.

-The ligands, in their atomic form have very high ionization energies.

 

 

 

Could this be a solution of a group I metal in ammonia known as an electride salt?

 

ex. [Na(NH₃)_x]⁺ e^-

 

 

You got it. Using ligands like 2,2,2-crypt, you can isolate an electride as a solid. If you evaporate the ammonia solution without a ligand, you just get sodium back.

[mississippichem]

Awesome, I read an article about that, and I've always been curious about the physics of those solutions. Couldn't remember if it was crypt-222 or 18-crown-6 (macrocycle nomenclature sucks).

 

Any shots on my question?