Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Organic Chemistry Forum for Graduate Students and Professionals => Topic started by: gritch on June 04, 2013, 02:39:02 PM
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Hello,
I'm trying to carefully oxidize and isolate an Fe(IV) from an Fe(II) center. The oxidant of choice seems to be trimethylamine N-oxide. The lab has a small amount of it but it's been stored for about a year under standard atmosphere. Given the hygroscopic nature of the compound it's most likely wet at this point.
Has anyone worked with this material before and would know a safe way to purify it? There's not much of it and I'd rather not waste it. I've read a few references that have stated NOT to simply dry with ether as it causes an explosion.
If it's not possible to purify safely would there be any other possible oxidants to use?
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I would sit it in a dessicator over some Phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) overnight or better still over the weekend until you get a constant weight. That should draw off any water without causing any degradation of the N-Oxide.
As far as other oxidants are concerned I would imagine that timethylamine oxide is used as the biproduct is very volatile and therefore removed from the reaction very easily.