ethanol extraction

[narco anonomous]

What would be the best way to extract ethanol from a stain remover that contained a solution of 80% gamma butyrolactone(gbl) and 20% ethonal, theoretically speaking?

 

[BilZ0r]

Distillation. Ethanols' BP 78degrees. GBL: 204 degrees

Be careful mind... flames kill.

 

[fastandbulbous]

^ there's always the possibility that the ethanol will open the ring system at higher temps. to give some ethyl 4-hydroxybutrate

 

[BilZ0r]

^ Be a pretty good trick to put liquid in a 50degree oven, which then heats it to 90 degrees.

 

[Ylide]

Do you need it as GBL? If not I'd say just convert it to NaGHB using a concentrated NaOH sol'n, adjust pH to ~7 with acid of choice, and boil it down to a solid. This way there's no worry about forming the ester and you can easily tell when you're done.

 

[fastandbulbous]

Ethanol + Conc NaOH wouldn't form sodium ethoxide as a biproduct, would it?

No, sodium ethoxide is a much much stronger base than sodium hydroxide; addition of sodium ethoxide to water produces ethanol, sodium hydroxide and a shit load of heat