URGENT: NutraSweet/MENTHANOL/TRUTH

[Joseph Bret Wood]

In article <3vu65n$5ho at ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>,
Steven B. Harris  <sbharris at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
>Agree with all you've said, except for the "H2CO3 powder" part.  Ain't
>no such animal.  H2CO3 is impossible to get in a pure state at normal
>temperatures.  I'd be surprised if it had been done even cryogencially.
>
>CO2 disolved in water is 99% molecular disolved CO2 gas, and 1% H2CO3
>(in an equilibrium state).  It's just about impossible to raise the
>H2CO3 content higher than that.

I agree that isolation of H2CO3 from aqueous solution would be nearly 
impossible.  (Although there are techniques to extract the minor product of
an equilibrium in good yield)  I dunno if isolated H2CO3 solid would 
spontaneously decompose at STP though.  I guess they could have used 
citric acid and baking soda.....  :)

-Bret Wood
-bretwood at cs.uoregon.edu