Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Is D-Limonene a good solvent for things like extractions?

GammaFunction - 15-3-2013 at 13:20

D-Limonene is nearly insoluble in water (18 mg/L). It has a dipole moment of 0.29D, less than ether or DCM. And it's biodegradable and non-toxic, though human toxicity studies are limited. However, it has a BP of 176C, which would make removal a nuisance.

It's also a fairly cheap an easy to obtain consumer good.

Would it be a good solvent for things like caffeine/theobromine/capsaicin extractions, as a safe, environmentally benign alternative to ether, DCM, and chloroform? How about as an eluent in chromatography columns?

(Yes, I checked the search engine; there isn't much info)

bahamuth - 15-3-2013 at 13:46

It tends to oxidize leaving a brown tar like substance with contact with air and especially when heated in my experience. Also as mentioned the high boiling point makes it unsuitable as a regular solvent, more pronounced in extractions.

kristofvagyok - 15-3-2013 at 14:18

Quote: Originally posted by GammaFunction  
However, it has a BP of 176C

Yes, that's the point. A solvent what got a boiling point high as that it aint so good if you are using it for extracting anything. Lot things will simply decompose at that temperature if you are distilling it down.

If using vacuum during removing this "solvent" a lot thing will come through before or with the limonene and also it is good not to forget those double bonds in the molecule, that doesn't good really good.

But if you are using it for special purposes than it could be good. We use DMF, DMSO ect. as solvents while they have such high boiling point. Just have to know that what you need and if you have a proper vacuum there will be no problem.

GammaFunction - 15-3-2013 at 14:33

Quote: Originally posted by kristofvagyok  
Quote: Originally posted by GammaFunction  
However, it has a BP of 176C

Yes, that's the point. A solvent what got a boiling point high as that it aint so good if you are using it for extracting anything. Lot things will simply decompose at that temperature if you are distilling it down. ....


That's sort of what I suspected. How about using a warm air stream (or bubbling air) for evaporation?

Don't mean to beat a dead horse, but for the amateur there's something very appealing about its environmentally benign nature, and any inconvenience might be balanced out by eliminating the need for hazardous waste disposal.

bahamuth - 16-3-2013 at 00:53

I would just try, though I doubt it's worth it.

But it depends what you want to extract, if you had a scheme we could advise you better on an account of what you are trying to do.

If you plan to implement this as a solvent in your lab I'd try to oxidize it, under a stream of air preferably heated somewhat, and If you are satisfied by the end result you should go for it. But I warn you, I tried the same thing sort of, brown gunk ensued...