[mcs]

I've found a website that sells Ethyl Ether online. I was wondering if it's actually legal to ship over the Canadian-American border, if it's actually legal to buy for personal use, and what personal uses one might have for it. Perhaps as a very effective cleaning agent? Thank you

[DevaDevil]

I think it's punishable only if intended to be used for production of drugs

[Arkcon]

Shipping is really all about the carrier, what their rules are, etc.  I don't think the US Postal Service or UPS will knowingly accept shipment of ether, and might take umbrage if they found out mid-shipment someone's lied to them.  You'd need some other carrier, and there's no law against transporting a chemical reagent, large labs use them all the time.

I don't think there's a law against having ether in your house, 'tho large amounts of it are unsafe, and you could be held liable for accidents in a residential area.  Usefulness?  That I don't know, there are plenty of easier solvents at the hardware store for cleaning, and such.  But even those are being phased out anyway in favor of gentler cleaning agents.

Usually, major chemical suppliers don't want the liability issues associated with an untrained person using their chemicals.  Since this site appears to be indifferent to that issue, I wonder about them.  If they take your check, and you don't get a delivery, and you call and they're gone, then what?

[Borek]

there's no law against transporting a chemical reagent, large labs use them all the time.

There are numerous regulations which may make shipping costly. Ethyl ether may be considered hazmat.

I don't think there's a law against having ether in your house

Well, funny as it sounds Texas has law against lab glass - you can't have it just because. I recall discussion on chemicalforums on the subject. I am on the other side of Atlantic, so I don't know details.

You better check if you can keep reagent grade sodium chloride at home

[Arkcon]

There are numerous regulations which may make shipping costly. Ethyl ether may be considered hazmat.

Right, expensive to ship by carriers due to the hazard.  This fly by night agency may try to mail it and hope for the best.

Well, funny as it sounds Texas has law against lab glass - you can't have it just because. I recall discussion on chemicalforums on the subject. I am on the other side of Atlantic, so I don't know details.

Many jurisdictions assume that possession of glass lab ware is possession of drug paraphernalia.  Those home grown meth labs do use ether, they usually get it by buying a coupla cans of starter fluid.  I don't how many of those cans will get you arrested.

[enahs]

q[they usually get it by buying a coupla cans of starter fluid.]q

Also known as, legal to purchase 1 step away from being a pipebomb.


I love the chemicals I can get dirt cheap at a automotive store.

[NickNick]

You can make ether by simply mixing sulfuric acid and alcohol, and then just distill the ether at 100F.  The sulfuric acid oxidizes the alcohol (ethanol), which changes it to ethyl ether.

I noticed that starting fluid also contains heptane (but there are brands now that give even the CAS numbers on the ingredients list so you know how pure each chemical is) and the problem with heptane is it reacts with oxidizers. For instance, I wanted to extract gold chloride from a solution of Aqua Regia and after a few minutes, the starting fluid layer began to bubble and *heat up* and gas built up until the stopper blew off and sprayed *hot* acid everywhere. Luckily I had left the room to get a towel just before the stopper blew. But I was simply following the instructions from a website that sade mixing ether with Aqua Regia was no problem and no reaction would occur.

Also, the heptane tends to mix with strongly alkaline solutions when you are attempting to extract plant alkaloids. It doesn't seperate again nice and neatly like ethyl ether. And the beauty of the ether is that you can just leave it to sit with a coffe filter on top, and your alkaloids will form nice crystals because the ether evaporates fast enough without a fan. But with a fan, it evaporates so fast you will end up with oil instead of crystals.

Just some tips for those doing that kind of work ;-)