Jagube
Esteemed member
I got mesh 350+ zinc and it's orders of magnitude finer than the one I used previously. It's really dust.
I then proceeded to reduce my harmaline with the fine zinc, and the green UV glow diminished greatly, but I wasn't sure if the reduction was complete (it didn't have a vinegar smell, it was bitter and the zinc may have contributed to that). So I added some HCl. This brought the pH down to 1-ish.
After a few hours of magnetic stirring, I turned the stirrer off and after settling, the liquid was very clear. Much clearer and lighter colored than the original harmaline acetate solution. What happened? Is it because the alks converted from acetates to hydrochlorides and those are lighter-colored?
Also the zinc seems to have disappeared. Did the HCl eat it?
I've now added a bit more zinc and it turned metallic-colored again. I guess in a couple of hours it will be clear again.
I then proceeded to reduce my harmaline with the fine zinc, and the green UV glow diminished greatly, but I wasn't sure if the reduction was complete (it didn't have a vinegar smell, it was bitter and the zinc may have contributed to that). So I added some HCl. This brought the pH down to 1-ish.
After a few hours of magnetic stirring, I turned the stirrer off and after settling, the liquid was very clear. Much clearer and lighter colored than the original harmaline acetate solution. What happened? Is it because the alks converted from acetates to hydrochlorides and those are lighter-colored?
Also the zinc seems to have disappeared. Did the HCl eat it?
I've now added a bit more zinc and it turned metallic-colored again. I guess in a couple of hours it will be clear again.