Solvents Drying and Drying Agents

Properties of solvents and methods used for drying them with specific drying agents

Removing water from Solvents

There are various ways of removing water and other impurities from a solution. This can become a
major task once the used reagents are also sensitive towards water e.g. Grignard reagents or
enolates. If water is one of the products, it also has a detrimental effect on the yield and/or reaction
rate. In those cases, drying agents like activated alumina¹, calcium hydride (CaH 2), sodium metal (in
combination with benzophenone which forms a dark blue ketyl radical), lithium aluminum hydride
(LiAlH4) or phosphorous pentoxide (P4O10) are used to chemically destroy the water.
The drying agents commonly used in the organic laboratories are calcium chloride (CaCl 2), sodium
sulfate (Na2SO4) Calcium sulfate (CaSO4, as Drierite (R)) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), all in their
anhydrous form.
Listed below are the drying agents that are commonly used.Organic liquids are considered to be wet if
they contain water. Realize that the organic liquid will still be a liquid after it is dried.

Activated alumina ¹ is a very porous form of aluminum oxide of high surface area which adsorbs
liquids and gases without any change in form. Activated alumina will not soften or disintegrate when
immersed in liquids. Activated alumina may be regenerated to its original adsorption efficiency by
heating to a temperature between (177-316°C).
Reconditioning of mineral oils like transformer or insulating oils. Removal of oil vapor mist from
compressed air. Drying of organic liquids to a moisture level of 10 ppm or below. Drying of various
liquids such as Benzene, Carbon, Tetrachloride, Chlorobenzene, Ethyl Acetate, Transformer oil,
Vegetable oils etc.

Solvents drying guide

TO DRY USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DRYING AGENTS

Anhydrous forms of potassium carbonate; anhydrous magnesium or calcium

Alcohols
sulphate; quicklime.
Alkyl halides Anhydrous calcium chloride; anhydrous forms of sodium sulphate, magnesium
Aryl halides sulphate, or calcium sulphate; sodium pentoxide.
Saturated and
Aromatic Anhydrous calcium chloride or sulphate; metallic sodium; phosphorus pentoxide.
hydrocarbons
Aldehydes Anhydrous sodium sulphate; anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate.
Anhydrous sodium sulphate; anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate;
Ketones
anhydrous potassium carbonate.
Organic bases
Solid potassium or sodium hydroxide; quicklime; barium oxide.
(amines)
Organic acids Anhydrous sodium sulphate; anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate.
 Solvents: Properties and Drying agents

Boiling Flash
Solvent Pt. Density Pt. Drying agent
°C °C
Acetone 56 0.791 -18 K2CO3; Molecular sieve 0.3nm; CaCl2
Acetic acid 118 1.049 +40 P2O5; CuSO4
Acetic anhydride 136 1.082 +49 CaCl2
CaCl2; P2O5; K2CO3; calcium hydride; Molecular
Acetonitrile 82 0.782 +6
sieve 0.3nm
Aniline 184 1.022 +76 KOH; BaO
Anisole 154 0.995 +51 CaCl2; Na; distillation
CaCl2; distillation; Na; Pb/Na; ; calcium hydride;
Benzene 80 0.879 -10
Na wire; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
1-Butanol 117 0.810 +29 K2CO3; distillation
2-Butanol 100 0.808 +24 K2CO3; distillation
tert-Butanol 82 0.882 +11 CaO; Freezing
n-Butyl acetate 127 0.882 +33 MgSO4;
Carbon disulphide 46 1.263 -30 CaCl2P2O5;
Carbon tetrachloride 77 1.594 none distillation; P2O3; Pb/Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Chlorobenzene 132 1.106 +29 CaCl2; distillation;P2O5
Chloroform 62 1.486 none CaCl2; P2O5; Pb/Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Cyclohexane 81 0.799 none Na; Na/Pb; LiAlH4; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Cyclohexanone 155 na na Distillation
Decahydronaphthalene
~190 0.886 <54 CaCl2; Na; Pb/Na
(Dekalin)
CaCl2; Pb/Na; calcium hydride; Molecular sieve
Dichloromethane 40 1.325 none
0.4nm
Refractionation: distillate at 40 - 42°C. (Use at
Dicyclopentadiene:
170 na na once! or keep in dry ice/acetone bath no longer
(cyclopentadiene dimer)
than 1 Hr.)
Diethyl carbonate 126 0.975 +25 Na2SO4; K2CO3
Diethylene glycoldibutyl
225 0.885 +118 CaCl2; Na
ether
Diethylene glycol dimethyl 155
0.906 +70 CaCl2; Na
ether 165
CaCl2; Na; Pb/Na; LiAlH4; Na
Diethyl ether 34 0.714 -40
wire/benzophenone; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Di-isopropyl ether 68 0.726 -23 CaCl2; Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Dimethyl formamide 153 0.950 +62 distillation; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Dimethyl sulfoxide 189 1.101 +95 distillation; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
1,4 Dioxane 101 1.034 +11.8 CaCl2; Na; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Ethanol 79 0.791 +12 CaO; Mg; MgO; Molecular sieve 0.3nm
K2CO3; P2O5; Na2SO4; calcium hydride;
Ethyl acetate 77 0.901 -4
Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Ethylenediamine:
118 na na Simple distillation.
(1-2 diaminoethane)
 Boiling Flash
Solvent Pt. Density Pt. Drying agent
°C °C
Ethylene glycol 197 1.109 +111 distillation; Na2SO4
Ethylene glycol monoethyl
135 0.930 +41 distillation
ether
Ethylene glycol monomethyl
125 0.965 +52 distillation
ether
Ethyl formate 54 0.924 -20 MgSO4; Na2SO4;
Formamide 211 1.134 155 Na2SO4; CaO
Glycerol 290 1.260 +176 distillation
Heptane 98 0.684 -4 calcium hydride; Na wire
Na; Pb/Na; LiAlH4; calcium hydride; Na
n-Hexane 69 0.659 -23
wire/benzophenone; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Isobutanol 108 0.803 +28 K2CO3; CaO; Mg;
Isobutyl methyl ketone 117 0.801 +15.5-4 K2CO3;
Methanol 65 0.792 +11 Mg; CaO; Molecular sieve 0.3nm
Methyl acetate 57 0.933 -10 K2CO3; CaO;
1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone 202 1.026 +95 Na2SO4; distillation; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Methyl Ethyl ketone 80 0.806 -44 K2CO3;
Nitrobenzene 211 1.204 +92 CaCl2; P2O5; distillation;
n-Pentane 36 0.626 -49 Na; Pb/Na;calcium hydride; Na wire
calcium hydride; Na wire/benzophenone;
Pet ether mixture na na
Molecular sieve type 4A
1- Propanol 97 0.804 +15 CaO; Mg
2-Propanol 82 0.785 +12 CaO; Mg; Molecular sieve 0.3nm
Pyridine 116 0.982 +20 KOH; BaO; Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Tetrahydrofuran 66 0.887 -17.5 Molecular sieve 0.4nm
Tetrahydronaphthalene
208 0.973 CaCl2; Na
(Tetralin)
Thionyl chloride 48 na na Redistill.
distillation; Ca; CaCl2; Na; Molecular sieve
Toluene 111 0.867 +4
0.4nm
Trichloroethylene 87 1.462 none distillation; Na2SO4; K2CO3
Xylene 137/140 -0.86 +25 distillation; Na; CaCl2; Molecular sieve 0.4nm