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Author: Subject: Safely storing Diethyl ether
nelsonB
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[*] posted on 7-4-2019 at 11:03
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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[*] posted on 7-4-2019 at 12:54


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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[*] posted on 7-4-2019 at 13:42


Add a stabilizer like BHT.
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Tsjerk
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[*] posted on 8-4-2019 at 02:43


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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[*] posted on 8-4-2019 at 04:11


Quote: Originally posted by Tsjerk  
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


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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[*] posted on 8-4-2019 at 08:27


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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[*] posted on 8-4-2019 at 08:59


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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[*] posted on 8-4-2019 at 09:06


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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[*] posted on 9-4-2019 at 04:45


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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