Anhydrous Alcohol and the Vapor Phase Method of Preparing It

• Main Author: Brown, Cleetis
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1935
• Subjects: Chemistry; Physical Sciences and Mathematics
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/963; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1962&context=uop_etds

Since the almost universal laboratory method of preparing absolute alcohol requires considerable time and trouble, gives a low yield of alcohol and leaves a distilling flask badly clogged with hydrated lime, Professor S.S, Kistler and I undertook the following research in the hope that we might devise a new method that would be both rapid and easy to perform. Upon reviewing the possibilities, it seemed evident that any method to be rapid would have to involve drying In the vapor phase. Diffusion in a liquid being so slow that when a drying agent is placed in the liquid phase an unnecessarily long time must be allowed for all of the liquid to come into contact with the drying agent, unless that could be a liquid. Liquids have been used in some instances, but seem to be unsatisfactory for the simplest possible laboratory apparatus. A preliminary study was accordingly made of the vapor phase methods already proposed, followed by a search for a suitable drying agent.