Simple steam distillation of P2P

[OrgUnikum]

Adding Potassium Carbonate solution to the flask with the dirty P2P is a very bad idea and makes absolutely no sense except one intends to kill a lot of P2P on purpose. P2P is highly succeptible to base catalyzed autocondensation, say the P2P condenses with itself forming a polymere, in the extrem it turns completely to the infamous "red tar" otherwise the red goo is well known, or pink to dark red discolorations.
P2P is much more stable towards acids.
If you want to raise the boiling point of the water in the flask use table salt.
Also tilting the flask with the P2P by up 45 degrees or even more if you use a long-necked flask (recommended) helps to prevent water splashing into the condenser in case of hard "bumping" or too much steam. The bumping can be completely omitted when the P2P flask is heated not from below but only from the sides (bottom third of flask unheated). Many heating mantles have double heating exactly for this, one heating for upper part, one for lower part, you use both for quick heating up and only the upper part in distillation which avoids the bumping. Mostly. Don't tell me you knew this. Nobody knows this anymore. So much got lost in time since the hey-days of chemistry....

 

[hacke8]

Adding Potassium Carbonate solution to the flask with the dirty P2P is a very bad idea and makes absolutely no sense except one intends to kill a lot of P2P on purpose. P2P is highly succeptible to base catalyzed autocondensation, say the P2P condenses with itself forming a polymere, in the extrem it turns completely to the infamous "red tar" otherwise the red goo is well known, or pink to dark red discolorations.
P2P is much more stable towards acids.
If you want to raise the boiling point of the water in the flask use table salt.
Also tilting the flask with the P2P by up 45 degrees or even more if you use a long-necked flask (recommended) helps to prevent water splashing into the condenser in case of hard "bumping" or too much steam. The bumping can be completely omitted when the P2P flask is heated not from below but only from the sides (bottom third of flask unheated). Many heating mantles have double heating exactly for this, one heating for upper part, one for lower part, you use both for quick heating up and only the upper part in distillation which avoids the bumping. Mostly. Don't tell me you knew this. Nobody knows this anymore. So much got lost in time since the hey-days of chemistry....

OrgUnikumHi, sir, if you use acid to purify p2p, which acid is the highest? Sulfuric acid 98%, hydrochloric acid 37%, oxalic acid solid, phosphoric acid 85%) This is the reagent I have. 2L steam generator flask, 1L P2P flask, how many dirty P2P can be added in such a combination? Water vapor distillation is really a painful thing.

 

[hacke8]

Dear chemist, I don't have potassium carbonate. Can I use sodium hydroxide solution instead? Is the proportion the same as using potassium carbonate?

 

[OrgUnikum]

Dear chemist, I don't have potassium carbonate. Can I use sodium hydroxide solution instead? Is the proportion the same as using potassium carbonate?

hacke8You cannot find potash? Did you consider switching to binge watching porn instead of making drugs as hobby? And have you tried to switch it off and on again? Da brain?

But yes you can use NaOH. Any hot base will polymerize a good part of the P2P, makes no difference actually.

 

[GhostChemist]

Dear chemist, I don't have potassium carbonate. Can I use sodium hydroxide solution instead? Is the proportion the same as using potassium carbonate?

hacke8You can use eq Na2CO3 or NaHCO3, or convert NaOH to Na2CO3