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Author: Subject: OTC ethanolic HCl
psychotic
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[*] posted on 22-12-2015 at 00:27
OTC ethanolic HCl


could one add aqueous HCl to anhydrous ethanol, then use e.g. MgSO4 or molecular sieves to get rid of the water?

i'm worried about the drying agents not working properly in a very acidic solution...
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ParadoxChem126
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[*] posted on 22-12-2015 at 02:04


Bubble HCl gas through ethanol directly. The quantity of drying agent needed to absorb that much water is extremely impractical. Remember that OTC hydrochloric acid is only 20-30% HCl.
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NitreRat
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[*] posted on 22-12-2015 at 12:25


First off, ethanol can't be dried with MgSO4 or CaCl2. You need to use 3A molecular sieves. Bearing that in mind, I suppose it depends on whether you want a saturated ethanolic HCl solution or a dilute one. If you add 5 ml of concentrated HCl to 200ml of ethanol, you could probably remove the water with drying agents or azeotropic drying (which is a much more elegant solution than drying agents).

An idea that I just thought of: dissolve anhydrous Calcium chloride in ethanol and add H2SO4 to precipitate CaSO4.
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[*] posted on 22-12-2015 at 13:04


If you already have a chloride salt (like calcium chloride) and concentrated sulfuric acid, you should just generate HCl gas, and bubble it into ethanol. I wouldn't bother trying to mess around with precipitation.

[Edited on 12-22-2015 by Cheddite Cheese]




As below, so above.

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[*] posted on 22-12-2015 at 13:15


Quote: Originally posted by Cheddite Cheese  
If you already have a chloride salt (like calcium chloride) and concentrated sulfuric acid, you should just generate HCl gas, and bubble it into ethanol. I wouldn't bother trying to mess around with precipitation.


True, but working with hydrogen chloride gas requires slightly more sophisticated equipment and is slightly more hazardous, so might not be an ideal solution for an absolute beginner.
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[*] posted on 23-12-2015 at 02:13


yeah, i was trying to find an alternative to working with HCl gas.

MgSO4 doesn't work for drying ethanol?

btw, i just googled 'copper sulfate drying ethanol' and found an youtube video from you Paradox :D nice channel man.
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[*] posted on 23-12-2015 at 04:39


Copper sulfate can be used for drying ethanol, but if the ethanol contains HCl as well, then you will have some CuCl2 dissolved in the ethanol as well. Anhydrous CuCl2 is covalent and dissolves in ethanol very well, giving yellow/brown solutions.

As others already said: Bubble dry HCl through already dried ethanol. The preparation of some chemicals simply requires more sophisticated apparatus than simple jars and beakers. A dry solution of HCl in ethanol is one of them.




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ParadoxChem126
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[*] posted on 23-12-2015 at 21:36


Quote: Originally posted by psychotic  

btw, i just googled 'copper sulfate drying ethanol' and found an youtube video from you Paradox :D nice channel man.


Videos nearly 3 years old... Embarrassing to say the least, but thanks.

[Edited on 12-24-2015 by ParadoxChem126]
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