[C6H8O7]

I have found a rather interesting experiment  involving the use of hexane.


Is there a place you can get this solvent without having to order it?

I don't mind distilling other products if necessary to achieve pure hexane but make sure you let me know if the product is pure when you post it.

[macman104]

I'm interested to know what this reaction is.  I've typically encountered hexane as a solvent or an eluting material...

[C6H8O7]

I'm wanting to extract antioxidant oils from everyday and not so everyday foods.


This is one of the truly untapped markets available where a citizen chemist can actually make enough cash to fuel less marketable projects especially on a local level.The supplement industry.

I'm not thinking about selling anything right away but more looking to do a bit of experimenting regarding yields from selected solvents before I invest in food grade chemicals.Everyday solvents are almost always cheaper by a considerable amount.

[limpet chicken]

Drycleaning fluid/spot remover.

They replaced carbon tet with hexane, over here it comes in small bottles with lemon fragrance added, stinks something awful but I bet its nothing a lil fractional distillation can't fix.

[pantone159]

It isn't hexane, but I have seen n-heptane for sale at a couple of arts/crafts-type places, (one was Michaels, and the other an art supply place), I don't remember the brand name though.

[billnotgatez]

Would Vodka (ethanol and water) work for this extraction process?

[C6H8O7]

Thats one of the 4 types i'm trying billnotgates.

I will be trying methanol,hexane, petroleum ether, and ethanol.

Ethanol and methanol both catch a lot of chlorophyll which is not something I want an abundance of in the final product.I have never worked with hexane but according to netgossip its one of the best for pulling out essential oils.Im trying to make something that you take a few drops as opposed to a few dropperfulls like the traditional vodka extractions.Either that or combine a few different types of antioxidants in the same vial.I think I would get a kick out of pulling out a large armfull of of fruits and vegetables and then being able to say this is how much is in 5 drops.I might still suspend the final in ethanol but I would prefer to find another safe suspension that won't make you fail a Breathalyzer on your morning commute to work.

I have a chem student who has agreed to work on analyzing my product and determining the potency but they will only do it once with up to 4 samples without charging me.

[pantone159]

Hexane and pet ether are nearly the same thing, pet ether is a mixture of several hydrocarbons including hexane.  (Exactly how much depends on the volatility of the pet ether.)

[DrCMS]

I would prefer to find another safe suspension that won't make you fail a Breathalyzer on your morning commute to work.

Are you planning to drink this hexane extraction?

Do you know that hexane is a human neurotoxin?

[hmx9123]

Ronsonol lighter fluid.

[limpet chicken]

Some lighter fluid is contaminated with oils and such crappage, always evap a test sample first on a glass slide and see if it leaves oily residue of any sort, if it does, distil it first.

Pet ether is very similar in character to hexane, not 100%, but still what works with one should work with the other if its solely for extractions.

DCM or chloroform might be useful, but those two have some tendency to react with certain organics to form halogenated byproducts.