March 28, 2024, 06:57:47 PM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: trifluoroacetic anydride purity.  (Read 2310 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline OrganicDan96

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 268
  • Mole Snacks: +20/-1
trifluoroacetic anydride purity.
« on: August 17, 2019, 01:40:53 PM »
I have a reaction that requires exactly 1 equivalent of TFAA (more than an equivalent causes side reactions) i am aware that TFAA will hydrolyse in storage this means when I add one equivalent the reaction doesn't go to completion as it has hydrolysed to some extent and i am really adding less than 1 equiv. so i would like to know if there is a simple way I could titrate the TFAA.  i have a couple ideas add TFAA to one equiv of MeOH then getting an NMR of the mixture determine the ratio of methyl trifluoroacetate to unreacted methanol. the other idea is to take an 19F NMR of the TFAA in a dry NMR tube with DRY THF solvent.

do these ideas sound good?

Offline rolnor

  • Chemist
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2205
  • Mole Snacks: +149/-10
Re: trifluoroacetic anydride purity.
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2019, 03:46:23 PM »
Can you not keep the reagent under argon and use a schlenk type bottle with septum and take material with a syringe? It should be possible to avoid hydrolysis.

Offline OrganicDan96

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 268
  • Mole Snacks: +20/-1
Re: trifluoroacetic anydride purity.
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2019, 04:45:39 PM »
Can you not keep the reagent under argon and use a schlenk type bottle with septum and take material with a syringe? It should be possible to avoid hydrolysis.

I would if I bought some new stuff, i'm just thinking about the 2 or 3 bottles we have in the fridge, have no idea how old it is.

Offline wildfyr

  • Global Moderator
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1771
  • Mole Snacks: +203/-10
Re: trifluoroacetic anydride purity.
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2019, 09:30:04 PM »
Fractionally distill it to ensure purity. Anhydride boils 80C lower.

Offline BobfromNC

  • Regular Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 87
  • Mole Snacks: +14/-1
Re: trifluoroacetic anydride purity.
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2019, 10:08:49 AM »
Just run a F19 NMR of the TFAA.   That should allow you to determine the ratio of anhydride to acid.    It will be hard to find TFAA without some acid, even in a new bottle.

I have actually seen the opposite problem, some bottle of TFA acid that we purchased had substantial levels of the anhydride in them, which was reacting with our material.   if the TFA is used as solvent for in excess, even a small amount of the anhydride can provide lots of it for reaction with certain compounds. 

Offline OrganicDan96

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 268
  • Mole Snacks: +20/-1
Re: trifluoroacetic anydride purity.
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2019, 10:37:51 AM »
Just run a F19 NMR of the TFAA.   That should allow you to determine the ratio of anhydride to acid.    It will be hard to find TFAA without some acid, even in a new bottle.

I have actually seen the opposite problem, some bottle of TFA acid that we purchased had substantial levels of the anhydride in them, which was reacting with our material.   if the TFA is used as solvent for in excess, even a small amount of the anhydride can provide lots of it for reaction with certain compounds.
that is probably the best idea, my concern was mostly regarding hydrolysis in the nmr tube, but I could just use dry THF for that purpose. i know of techniques to prepare nmrs under inert atmosphere. I don't mind if there is some TFA in it, i would just like to know how much so i can compensate for it. 

Offline wildfyr

  • Global Moderator
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1771
  • Mole Snacks: +203/-10
Re: trifluoroacetic anydride purity.
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2019, 04:51:51 PM »
Fractional distillation is definitely a good place to start. If done correctly, your material will be quite pure. Then you can check it by 19F-NMR.

Sponsored Links