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Solvents Drying and Drying Agents
Solvents Drying and Drying Agents
Properties of solvents and methods used for drying them with specific drying agents
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Disposal of spent sodium, magnesium and calcium hydride?
îhere are various ways of removing water and other impurities from a solution. îhis can become a
major task once the used reagents are also sensitive towards water e.g. Grignard reagents or
enolates. If water is one of the products, it also has a detrimental effect on the yield and/or reaction
rate. In those cases, drying agents like activated alumina¹, calcium hydride (CaH2), sodium metal (in
combination with benzophenone which forms a dark blue ketyl radical), lithium aluminum hydride
(LiAlH 4) or phosphorous pentoxide (P4O10 ) are used to chemically destroy the water.
îhe drying agents commonly used in the organic laboratories are calcium chloride (CaCl2), sodium
sulfate (Na2SO4) Calcium sulfate (CaSO4, as Drierite (R)) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), all in their
anhydrous form.
Listed below are the drying agents that are commonly used.Organic liquids are considered to be wet if
they contain water. Realize that the organic liquid will still be a liquid after it is dried.
Activated alumina ¹ is a very porous form of aluminum oxide of high surface area which adsorbs
liquids and gases without any change in form. Activated alumina will not soften or disintegrate when
immersed in liquids. Activated alumina may be regenerated to its original adsorption efficiency by
heating to a temperature between (177-316°C).
Reconditioning of mineral oils like transformer or insulating oils. Removal of oil vapor mist from
compressed air. Drying of organic liquids to a moisture level of 10 ppm or below. Drying of various
liquids such as Benzene, Carbon, îetrachloride, Chlorobenzene, Ethyl Acetate, îransformer oil,
Vegetable oils etc.?
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Alkyl halides Anhydrous calcium chloride; anhydrous forms of sodium sulphate, magnesium
Aryl halides sulphate, or calcium sulphate; sodium pentoxide.
Saturated and
Aromatic Anhydrous calcium chloride or sulphate; metallic sodium; phosphorus pentoxide.
hydrocarbons
Organic bases
Solid potassium or sodium hydroxide; quicklime; barium oxide.
(amines)
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Decahydronaphthalene
~190 0.886 <54 CaCl2; Na; Pb/Na
(Dekalin)
Diethylene glycoldibutyl
225 0.885 +118 CaCl2; Na
ether
1,4 Dioxane 101 1.034 +11.8 CaCl2; Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Ethylenediamine:
118 na na Simple distillation.
(1-2 diaminoethane)
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Ethylene glycol
125 0.965 +52 distillation
monomethyl ether
Ethyl formate 54 0.924 -20 MgSO4; Na2SO4;
+15.5-
Isobutyl methyl ketone 117 0.801 2 CO3;
4
1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone 202 1.026 +95 Na2 SO4; distillation; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
îetrahydronaphthalene
208 0.973 CaCl2; Na
(îetralin)
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