Mabus - 4-3-2016 at 11:57
I got some calcium carbide from a store (haven't seen it on shelves in ages), in the form of groundhog/mole repellent. It's technical grade,
gray-black in color, but it also contains 2-undecanone and citriodiol and probably other stuff not mentioned on the label. Since I don't want the
repellents interfering in my reactions, what could I use to remove them?
I'm looking for something OTC here, BTW.
byko3y - 4-3-2016 at 13:22
Pretty much any anhydrous organic solvent can do the job: acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene, petroleum ether. Alcohols react with CaC2 yielding calcium
alcoxides.
Calcium phosphides will still remain in the powder, because it is just as insoluble as calcium carbide.
diggafromdover - 4-3-2016 at 13:44
I'd grind it fairly fine before proceeding. I got some from Germany and it is pea gravel sized chunks. I doubt that the solvents would do a good job
penetrating the chunks.