Dick
You wrote:

"If you mixed sulfuric acid and pure glycerol I would expect a lot of heat
generation.  Oxalic acid is a pretty strong acid for an organic acid.  From
memory over 100 times stronger than acetic acid.  Still, moisture on the
surface of varroa at the point oxalic acid attacks could be important as
such tissues might be a lot more sensitive than chitin"

I have made 5 differents solutions of Oxalic acid into Gycerol as described
at 55ºC +/- 5ºC.
GlycerOx20: 20 g of Oxalic acid into 100 g of Gycerol
GlycerOx30: 30 g into 100 g
GlycerOx40: 40 g into 100 g
GlycerOx50: 50 g into 100 g and
GlycerOx60: 60 g of Oxalic acid into 100 g of Glycerol.

I assume Glycerol as a polar and protonic product. Then it seems Sn2
reaction occurs between acid and at the secondary carbon forming an
intermediate carbocation (80% probably) and other possible Sn1 reaction at a 
terminal
carbon (20% probably)

Then I checked pH of Glycerol and this new solution/product

I have adjusted my pH meter with pH7 and pH4 buffers as usual for honey
testing. I don't know if I can adjust my equipment for more acid products.

I made dilutions of the different products bellow 0,66 M  (5 g of product
into 50 g of water)

Gycerol pH 6,44
In all the GlycerOx product solutions after 3 minutes the pH falls to 0,60 -
0,52

I understand that the 6% solution of Oxalic acid used for dripping or
spraying against varroa is around 0,6 M it is near pH 0,73 (I do not checked 
it)

It seems that GlycerOx it works as a strong acid when water appear.

If chitin hairs or mandible of the bees containing GlycerOx residues are in 
contact with a sensitive and humid organs of the mite they could be quickly 
protonated, couldn't it? Could it be the way to kill the mite?

regards
Fernando
Córdoba - Arg

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