LD5050
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Drying dichloromethane with magnesium sulphate?
Can I dry dichloromethane with magnesium sulphate ? I've seen calcium hydride is used and molecular sieves but can't find anything on magnesium
sulphate
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JJay
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I don't see why not, but calcium chloride works for DCM and is a stronger desiccant.
[Edited on 10-1-2018 by JJay]
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LD5050
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Ok cool I just didn't know if it would create some kind of reaction or dissolve in the dichloromethane. I usually used magnesium sulphate to dry it
but and never had any problems but after seeing that it wasn't used I didn't know if it was wise to use it or not.
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unionised
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With most desiccants it's a good idea to distil the solvent after drying it, but distilling DCM will dry it very well anyway, so what's the point of
the drying agent?
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Radium212
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I've used it and it works fine.
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LD5050
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I did not know just distilling DCM would sufficiently dry it. I would think a drying agent still should be used.
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DraconicAcid
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It depends on how dry you need it. For many purposes, just distilling will be enough. When I was doing research, we needed to reflux it over
phosphorus pentoxide before distilling.
But it's unlikely to react with most drying agents- it won't react with ordinary salts. You don't want to dry it with very strong bases, and
definitely not alkali metals.
[Edited on 10-1-2018 by DraconicAcid]
Please remember: "Filtrate" is not a verb.
Write up your lab reports the way your instructor wants them, not the way your ex-instructor wants them.
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