[animanga008]

Hey guys,

I've been doing a reaction recently where I convert a carboxylic acid to an acyl chloride. The quench involves rotovapping it down, nothing else. Now my rotovap pump does not work. So I'm asking, does gaseous HCl ruin pumps? I use a cold finger trap on my rotovap with isoprop. and dry ice. I am also doing this on a 1gr scale. I wouldn't think that much HCl is generated to really damage the pump but I am speaking from zero knowledge on the matter.

[enahs]

Usually vacuum pumps for rotavaps are chemical rated.

How are you doing your reaction and what exactly are you rotavaping down?

If your pump is stainless steel then yes, the HCl could destroy it pretty fast.

[animanga008]

Carboxylic acid subject to oxalyl chloride. But does it really only take a tiny tiny bit of acid to destroy a pump? I will check the pump I was using to see if it has a chemical rating.

[enahs]

No, usually a tiny tiny bit will not destroy it.

It is possible it has been going bad and just coincidence at time of failure.