In this video, we make isopropyl nitrite without using sodium nitrite.

Typically, amateur chemists use sodium nitrite, hydrochloric acid, and isopropyl alcohol for this process, but sodium nitrite is becoming harder to obtain. This sodium nitrite-free pathway goes through nitrosylsulfuric acid which can be made using more easily obtained fuming nitric acid and sulfur dioxide.

To make fuming nitric acid from you can use this video:    • Nitric Acid Concentration and Purific...  

How to make sulfur dioxide:    • 3 Ways to Make Sulfur Dioxide Gas  

To begin, we dry 400mL of 99% isopropyl alcohol using molecular sieves 3A (that itself was previously dried at 200 Celsius). In a separate flask, we mix 63g of fuming nitric acid with 150mL of glacial acetic acid, keeping the mixture cool in an ice bath.

To make glacial acetic acid, i refer you to Nile Red:    • How to make Glacial Acetic Acid  

or Amateur chemistry:
   • Making Glacial (95%) Acetic Acid from...  

Meanwhile, a sulfur dioxide is injected from a sulfur dioxide generator into our nitric acid mixture forming nitrosylsulfuric acid.

After the reaction, the nitrosylsulfuric acid precipitates out. It's filtered and i got a Yield of 117g or 91%. Due to its instability, it must be used promptly. It's slowly combined with chilled isopropanol, creating isopropyl nitrite. Careful addition and temperature control are crucial to prevent decomposition.

After the reaction, we add ice and make up the volume to 1L to separate the isopropyl nitrite. A separatory funnel is used to recover the lighter organic phase of isopropyl nitrite. The final yield is 56g or about 63% based on nitric acid, with an adjusted yield of 69% based on nitrosylsulfuric acid quantity.

While this method may not match the ease of sodium nitrite-based processes, it serves as a valuable alternative for those facing sodium nitrite availability challenges.

Donate to NurdRage!
Through Patreon (preferred):   / nurdrage  
Through Youtube Memberships:    / @nurdrage  

Glassware generously provided by http://www.alchemylabsupply.com/
Use the discount code "nurdrage" for a 5% discount.

Twitter:   / nurdrage  
Reddit:   / nurdrage  
Instagram:   / nurdrageyoutube