Updated 04-May-2020.
Mondo shtuff from around the internet, all about POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE!
My botty best at summarizing from Wikipedia: potassium permanganate is a chemical compound with chemical formula KMnO4 . it is widely used in chemical industry and laboratories as a strong oxidizing agent . this includes fungal infections of the foot, impetigo, pemphigus, superficial wounds, dermatitis, and tropical ulcers . it is on the world health organization’s list of essential medicines KMnO4 is used in qualitative organic analysis to test for the presence of unsaturation . the reagent is an alkaline solution of potassium permanganate . reaction with double or triple bonds causes the color potassium permanganate is used as a reagent to determine the Kappa number of wood pulp . in analytical chemistry, aqueous solution of KMnO4 is sometimes used as an oxidizing in histology, potassium permanganate was used as a bleaching agent . by removing ethylene by oxidation, the permanate delays the ripening . polymer spheres re potassium permanganate can be used to oxidize cocaine paste to purify it and increase its stability . just under 200 years later, London chemist Henry Bollmann Condy had an interest in disinfectants . potassium hydroxide (KOH) was used instead of NaOH . this was more stable, and had the advantage of easy conversion to crystals . potassium permanganate was comparatively easy to manufacture . the MnO2 is fused with potassium hydroxide and heated in air or with another source of oxygen, like potassium nitrate or potassium chlorate . potassium permanganate is more commonly used than sodium perman the overall motif is similar to that for barium sulfate, with which it forms solid solutions . the reaction decolorizes the initially purple permanganate solution and generates a brown precipitate (Mn bromine serves better in measuring unsaturation (double or triple bonds) quantitatively . KMnO4, being a very strong oxidizing agent, can react with a variety of groups . potassium permanganate does not dissolve in many organic solvents . its sterilizing properties are another reason for inclusion of KMnO4 in a survival kit . by itself, potassium permganate doesn’t dissolve “purple benzene” may be prepared by treating aqueous potassium permanganate . acidic solutions are reduced to the faintly pink manganese(II) ion (Mn2+ a curious reaction occurs upon addition of concentrated sulfuric acid to potassium permanganate . the vapor over the mixture will ignite paper impregnated with alcohol . ozone has a high oxidizing power and reaction also produces explosive Mn2O7 . contact with skin will result in long lasting pinkish/purple stain .