I am amazed at how many natural drugs are ruducible to a fine white powder Aspirin, cocaine, caffeine, heroine, etc. Do we somehow bleach them or is this natural. Also if this is natural would'nt it be "expensive" for nature to produce in terms of photosynthisis? Are these all alkoloids that I mentioned?
2006-11-01 06:36:01 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Alkaloids are amine-containing natural products; amines are basic (i.e. alkaline, hence the name).
With the exception of aspirin, the others you have mentioned are in fact alkaloids which happen to be white crystals.
Organic compounds are colorless unless there is some structural element within the molecule that absorbs color. This has nothing to do with bleach. Bleach does not turn organic molecules white--it usually causes a chemical reaction to take place.
2006-11-01 08:07:32 · answer #1 · answered by davisoldham 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think aspirin is, but the others are. They require a nitrogen atom and are slightly alkaline, as the name suggests.
2006-11-01 14:47:24 · answer #2 · answered by JJ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hmmm lemme get back to you
2006-11-01 14:37:19 · answer #3 · answered by jesus-lives! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋