Solvent Drying Agents

Solvents drying guide

TO DRY	USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DRYING AGENTS
Alcohols	Anhydrous forms of potassium carbonate; anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate; quicklime.
Alkyl halides Aryl halides	Anhydrous calcium chloride; anhydrous forms of sodium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, or calcium sulphate; sodium pentoxide.
Saturated and Aromatic hydrocarbons	Anhydrous calcium chloride or sulphate; metallic sodium; phosphorus pentoxide.
Aldehydes	Anhydrous sodium sulphate; anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate.
Ketones	Anhydrous sodium sulphate; anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate; anhydrous potassium carbonate.
Organic bases (amines)	Solid potassium or sodium hydroxide; quicklime; barium oxide.
Organic acids	Anhydrous sodium sulphate; anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate.

 

Solvents: Properties and Drying agents

Solvent	Boiling Pt. °C	Density	Flash Pt. °C	Drying agent
Acetone	56	0.791	-18	K2CO3; Molecular sieve 0.3nm; CaCl2
Acetic acid	118	1.049	+40	P2O5; CuSO4
Acetic anhydride	136	1.082	+49	CaCl2
Acetonitrile	82	0.782	+6	CaCl2; P2O5; K2CO3; calcium hydride; Molecular sieve 0.3nm
Aniline	184	1.022	+76	KOH; BaO
Anisole	154	0.995	+51	CaCl2; Na; distillation
Benzene	80	0.879	-10	CaCl2; distillation; Na; Pb/Na; ; calcium hydride; Na wire; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
1-Butanol	117	0.810	+29	K2CO3; distillation
2-Butanol	100	0.808	+24	K2CO3; distillation
tert-Butanol	82	0.882	+11	CaO; Freezing
n-Butyl acetate	127	0.882	+33	MgSO4;
Carbon disulphide	46	1.263	-30	CaCl2P2O5;
Carbon tetrachloride	77	1.594	none	distillation; P2O3; Pb/Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Chlorobenzene	132	1.106	+29	CaCl2; distillation;P2O5
Chloroform	62	1.486	none	CaCl2; P2O5; Pb/Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Cyclohexane	81	0.799	none	Na; Na/Pb; LiAlH4; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Cyclohexanone	155	na	na	Distillation
Decahydronaphthalene (Dekalin)	~190	0.886	<54	CaCl2; Na; Pb/Na
Dichloromethane	40	1.325	none	CaCl2; Pb/Na; calcium hydride; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Dicyclopentadiene: (cyclopentadiene dimer)	170	na	na	Refractionation: distillate at 40 - 42°C. (Use at once! or keep in dry ice/acetone bath no longer than 1 Hr.)
Diethyl carbonate	126	0.975	+25	Na2SO4; K2CO3
Diethylene glycoldibutyl ether	225	0.885	+118	CaCl2; Na
Diethylene glycol dimethyl ether	155 165	0.906	+70	CaCl2; Na
Diethyl ether	34	0.714	-40	CaCl2; Na; Pb/Na; LiAlH4; Na wire/benzophenone; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Di-isopropyl ether	68	0.726	-23	CaCl2; Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Dimethyl formamide	153	0.950	+62	distillation; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Dimethyl sulfoxide	189	1.101	+95	distillation; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
1,4 Dioxane	101	1.034	+11.8	CaCl2; Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Ethanol	79	0.791	+12	CaO; Mg; MgO; Molecular sieve 0.3nm
Ethyl acetate	77	0.901	-4	K2CO3; P2O5; Na2SO4; calcium hydride; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Ethylenediamine: (1-2 diaminoethane)	118	na	na	Simple distillation.

 

Solvent	Boiling Pt. °C	Density	Flash Pt. °C	Drying agent
Ethylene glycol	197	1.109	+111	distillation; Na2SO4
Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether	135	0.930	+41	distillation
Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether	125	0.965	+52	distillation
Ethyl formate	54	0.924	-20	MgSO4; Na2SO4;
Formamide	211	1.134	155	Na2SO4; CaO
Glycerol	290	1.260	+176	distillation
Heptane	98	0.684	-4	calcium hydride; Na wire
n-Hexane	69	0.659	-23	Na; Pb/Na; LiAlH4; calcium hydride; Na wire/benzophenone; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Isobutanol	108	0.803	+28	K2CO3; CaO; Mg;
Isobutyl methyl ketone	117	0.801	+15.5-4	K2CO3;
Methanol	65	0.792	+11	Mg; CaO; Molecular sieve 0.3nm
Methyl acetate	57	0.933	-10	K2CO3; CaO;
1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone	202	1.026	+95	Na2SO4; distillation; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Methyl Ethyl ketone	80	0.806	-44	K2CO3;
Nitrobenzene	211	1.204	+92	CaCl2; P2O5; distillation;
n-Pentane	36	0.626	-49	Na; Pb/Na;calcium hydride; Na wire
Pet ether	mixture	na	na	calcium hydride; Na wire/benzophenone; Molecular sieve type 4A
1- Propanol	97	0.804	+15	CaO; Mg
2-Propanol	82	0.785	+12	CaO; Mg; Molecular sieve 0.3nm
Pyridine	116	0.982	+20	KOH; BaO; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Tetrahydrofuran	66	0.887	-17.5	Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Tetrahydronaphthalene (Tetralin)	208	0.973		CaCl2; Na
Thionyl chloride	48	na	na	Redistill.
Toluene	111	0.867	+4	distillation; Ca; CaCl2; Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Trichloroethylene	87	1.462	none	distillation; Na2SO4; K2CO3
Xylene	137/140	-0.86	+25	distillation; Na; CaCl2; Molecular sieve 0.4nm

 

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