Question 2-phenylacetophenone or benzoin

[plancklong]

Anyone know where I can get these:

 

[Osmosis Vanderwaal]

??
50 g benzaldehyde are boiled with 5 g potassium cyanide, 100 g alcohol, and 100 g water for 15-20 minutes under reflux condenser. On cooling the benzoin separates out in a crystalline mass. It is filtered at and recrystallized from alcohol with the addition of activated charcoal. The first mother liquor is again heated to boiling with about 2 g potassium cyanide, and the benzoin formed is separated as before. Yield about 45 g, melting point 134° C.

 

[G.Patton]

It isn't good idea to work with potassium cyanide.

 

[K-Cyanide]

do you mean because of its toxicity or because the reaction might or do produce HCN? The latter is seriously dangerous and to avoid, i agree. KCN alone is not more dangerous than i.e. mercury chloride imho.
In any case, take care folks.

 

[G.Patton]

Correct. It's worth to avoid such reagent for chemists with lack of lab experience.