Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Desiccant interchangeability

CycloRook - 25-1-2022 at 13:20

There are many different reactions that call for desiccant. One that calls for magnesium sulfate to dry isopropyl alcohol one calls for calcium chloride in a drying tube another calls for sodium sulphate to dry toluene. My question is can the dissidents be interchangeable.

Could I just use magnesium sulphate for everything.

It's very easy for .e just heat Epsom salt in a steel pan and it's done.

AvBaeyer - 25-1-2022 at 19:47

Desiccants are not universally interchangeable. You have to take into account chemical incompatibilities. Many organic lab manuals have desiccant compatibility tables. You should be able to also find such a chart with a google search (ie desiccant compatibility table).

AvB

CycloRook - 26-1-2022 at 19:13

Quote: Originally posted by AvBaeyer  
Desiccants are not universally interchangeable. You have to take into account chemical incompatibilities. Many organic lab manuals have desiccant compatibility tables. You should be able to also find such a chart with a google search (ie desiccant compatibility table).

AvB
I looked and I cannot find any tables

pantone159 - 26-1-2022 at 20:09

[/rquote] I looked and I cannot find any tables [/rquote]
I also had trouble finding anything with google, or any tables, but with a little work I did find this useful link, the first useful one that I found:
http://www.sciencemadness.org/smwiki/index.php/Drying_solven...
:cool:

[Edited on 27-1-2022 by pantone159]

[Edited on 27-1-2022 by pantone159]

CycloRook - 27-1-2022 at 03:39

Quote: Originally posted by pantone159  
[/rquote] I looked and I cannot find any tables [/rquote]
I also had trouble finding anything with google, or any tables, but with a little work I did find this useful link, the first useful one that I found:
http://www.sciencemadness.org/smwiki/index.php/Drying_solven...
:cool:

[Edited on 27-1-2022 by pantone159]

[Edited on 27-1-2022 by pantone159]
Yes excellent.

I expected Magnesium Sulfate to be inert and it seems that it is.

I had a procedure that calls for Sodium Sulfate to dry THF and it looks like Magnesium Sulfate will do the job.

AvBaeyer - 27-1-2022 at 19:23

Try searching "solvent drying agent compatibility." This particular site is useful:

https://www.chem.ucla.edu/~bacher/Specialtopics/Drying%20Age...

AvB