Why ether is used in extraction

Already have an account? Login in here. Solvent Extraction Research and Development, Japan. Journal home Journal issue About the journal.

Article overview. References Moreover, most organic materials have quite good solubility in ether solution. Once in the separating funnel, the organic phase can be "washed" with other reagents, i.

Of course, you must also dry the organic phase Why is diethyl ether used to extract an organic product from water at the end of a reaction? Mar 7, Because ether is volatile Explanation: The normal boiling point of diethyl ether is What are alkenes and alkynes used for? This quantity can be approximated using the solubility data. This process is summarized in Figure 4. The partitioning of the compound between the two layers caused the sample to be incompletely extracted.

Depending on the partition coefficient for a compound in a solvent, a single extraction may be all that is needed to effectively extract a compound. However, more often than not a procedure calls for a solution to be extracted multiple times in order to isolate a desired compound, as this method is more efficient than a single extraction see journal article in Figure 4.

In a multiple extraction procedure, a quantity of solvent is used to extract one layer often the aqueous layer multiple times in succession.

The extraction is repeated two to three times, or perhaps more times if the compound has a low partition coefficient in the organic solvent.

Figure 4. In a multiple extraction of an aqueous layer, the first extraction is procedurally identical to a single extraction. In the second extraction, the aqueous layer from the first extraction is returned to the separatory funnel Figure 4. Since the organic layer from the first extraction had already reached equilibrium with the aqueous layer, it would do little good to return it to the separatory funnel and expose it to the aqueous layer again. Instead, fresh diethyl ether is added to the aqueous layer, since it has the potential to extract more compound.

The process is often repeated with a third extraction not shown in Figure 4. In multiple extractions, the organic layers are combined together,as the goal is to extract the compound into the organic solvent.