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Can you give me a good example of an eluent which might work, when trying column chromatography? I'm trying to separate isobutanol and isobutyl oleate. i don't have ethyl acetate, would diethyl ether work too?
Accepted Answer
Diethyl ether could work as an eluent for separating isobutanol and isobutyl oleate. Both compounds are relatively polar, but isobutanol is more polar due to the presence of the hydroxyl group. Diethyl ether has a moderate polarity and can effectively elute isobutanol first, followed by isobutyl oleate. However, the optimal eluent choice depends on factors like the column packing material and the desired separation resolution. It is advisable to conduct a series of trials with different eluent mixtures to optimize the separation process.
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