s can result in toxic effects including respiratory failure, vasodilation, hypotension, convulsions, and

paralysis. We do not mess around with that. The teacher briefs us a bit on the thing, opens the window
(unleashing hellish temperatures inside, but we already got all the stuff we needed out, we won't stop
until we have the damn molecule synthesized) and gives us some safety equipment. But benzyl alcohol is
only one of the two reactives, the other being acetic acid. So we don't really have to worry about it.
Finally, we use a reflux heating system as well as some sulfuric acid to act as a catalyst. Note that we also
use some cyclohexane instead of water to dilute everything.

So it's late, we're melting in this desert-like atmosphere, and we're mixing a bunch of dangerous (for us)
chemicals together. What can possibly go wrong? Well after about 30 minutes of refluxing, we pour the
resulting products in a separatory funnel and add some concentrated salt solution, so we can clearly
separate everything once we're done, shake it a little, and WE'RE DONE. FINALLY. After some
chromatography tests, we realize there's still some benzyl alcohol left. But, I mean, we're 17, we're not
going to synthesize such complex compounds in such conditions. So we roll with it. Once it's done, I
reach for the beaker, have a look at everyone, and get it closer to my nose.

And that's when the fuck up happens. I instantly regret my decision. This thing smells like a billion, rotten
baby corpses who died from testicular cancer. I feel like a dark god is pulling my lungs into an infinite
maelstrom of nightmares, my nose is clenching so hard I fear I'm going to die suffocating. Thisester isn't
smelling sweet at all, it's torturing every sin