nelsonB
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Safely storing Diethyl ether
Hi
i was wondering if a steel F-style jugs with some sodium hydroxide to prevent peroxide formation would be enought for ether. if no tell me what would
be your idea.
[Edited on 7-4-2019 by nelsonB]
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happyfooddance
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If you can store it in a freezer it helps. I would be cautious about metal-on-metal lids, I might be wrong but I feel that would perhaps ignite trace
peroxides (which form on threads/parts exposed to air) more easily than glass or plastics/ptfe.
But I have stored bottles of ether for years in the freezer without problems. The ether was freshly distilled before storage, however, but without
stabilizer.
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DavidJR
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Add a stabilizer like BHT.
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Tsjerk
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Or a bit of ethanol, should work as long as you don't want to do Grignards with it.
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=145410
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DavidJR
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I'm not convinced that ethanol would be effective in preventing peroxide formation and even if it is, addition of ethanol severely limits what you can
do with the ether.
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MrHomeScientist
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Does the BHT interfere with some reactions? Does the solvent need to be distilled to remove it, before use?
In my case, I have tetralin that I wanted to use for the Mg-catalyzed potassium synthesis. I bought BHT for storing it, but haven't added it yet. I
hear this particular peroxide is pretty benign?
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Mr. Rogers
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The best way I think, is to buy several small bottles rather than one large one, and keep them in a freezer. I wouldn't feel comfortable storing a
gallon of ether in a paint can like that honestly.
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Mr. Rogers
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You can get Et2O in small quantities in Al bottles with two piece caps that come hermetically sealed. I think that's the best way to store it if you
have to.
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DavidJR
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Quote: Originally posted by MrHomeScientist | Does the BHT interfere with some reactions? Does the solvent need to be distilled to remove it, before use?
In my case, I have tetralin that I wanted to use for the Mg-catalyzed potassium synthesis. I bought BHT for storing it, but haven't added it yet. I
hear this particular peroxide is pretty benign? |
Theoretically it could do, but the concentration required to stabilise it is pretty damn low, so it's rarely a problem. Also consider that the
peroxides, aside from being a safety concern, can potentially interfere in some reactions.
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