jordehwa Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 (edited) I bought some M.E.K. substitute from home depot since I read on the MSDS that it was 100% Ethyl Acetate. So I did an evaporation test on some glass and it left a film so I decided to distill it just in case. Anyway the ethyl acetate was clear when I started now its slightly yellowish and still leaves a film. What makes it yellow and should it concern me? Also is the film normal? Thanks. Edited August 6, 2013 by jordehwa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordehwa Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 Anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knumbnuts Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Is this after distillation that it is yellow and leaves a film? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordehwa Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 Yes. Before distillation it was clear and left a film, after it was yellow and left a film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knumbnuts Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Strange this. Try the distillation again. As for the film, I would not expect 100% ethyl acetate to leave a film, so there must be some non-volatile stuff in there. Put a small fractionating column on your distillation apparatus and see if that makes any difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordehwa Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 I figured it out. I made the mistake of connecting my distilling apparatus with rubber stoppers. So I'm guessing there must be small bits of rubber dissolved in my ethyl acetate. Does anyone know if activated charcoal will clean the dissolved rubber out of my ethyl acetate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cuthber Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 It might help, but really you need to re-distil the stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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