Green chemistry for the future: 2-MeTHF

2-methylTetrahydrofuran

Seems like a super neat new non polar solvent

Anyone else playing R&D with this delicious biofuel?

Discuss!

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Yum :yum: :grimacing:

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Its a pretty versatile solvent, and is definitely not new or non polar lol. Not really a first pick solvent, but it has its uses. Its fairly immiscible with water so you can use it for certain biphasic work. It smells funky, but I kind of like it compared to say xylenes.

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Think it’d work as well as THF for antisolvent crystallization of THCa?

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It can sometimes be a substitute for THF, a very common organic solvent. I think it’s main benefit is for large scale pharmaceutical processes and the goodwill that may result from its use.

The fact that it is less volatile than THF means that more energy is needed for its recycling, working against its “greenness”.

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We’ve got “new” solvents

We’ve got people linking OP’s to Wikipedia articles

Rough morning for the future

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New to me, bitch

I have seen precisely 0 SOPs utilizing this solvent in cannabis processing-

You’re one of those laid back do nothing types who sits and comments on other folks efforts, and contributes little to the overall mission right?

Thats your contribution here- and you’ll receive just as little in return Mr peanut gallery.

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Yes that is what i think exactly! Ding! We have at least one person on the thread who understands the mission.

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Stop huffing solvent, its not perfume buddy- and please stop dabbing it behind your ears!

No wonder all you chemist types are so freakin’ cockeyed, you’re constantly dealing with low to medium grade exposure.

We no longer use heat for solvent recycling here, this is the Future
we use membranes.

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THF is water soluble, 2-methyl THF is not water soluble (or at least “limited” solubility). So

Does it have a dipole movement? Yes but not a significant one, in fact it is less soluble at higher temperatures.

Do you think this would be an alternative method for diamond mining? The “inverse solubility” seems like it would also allow for one to not have to put their mason jars under heat. Probably would aid in pulling any residual moisture.

Although without the heat/burps, the THCa would not supersaturate and start precipitating out crystals. With heat, the THF would not be useful in binding with water…. Hmmmm

Looking more into it, similar “green solvents” of interest include cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME). Non-polar, good for lipid extraction and crystallization, but with a fairly high boiling point.

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Its more polar than ethyl ether and MTBE, so definitely polar.

Its unclear to me how that’s relevant to solubility in so far as the two are unrelated, or what you mean by “less soluble at higher temperatures” in general. Less soluble in what? Its a liquid.

The inverse solubility has only to do with water, nothing to do with cannabinoid solubilities.

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Probably worth noting that no one should attempt a hydrogenation in ethereal solvents (ethyl ether, THF, MeTHF). The ethers can undergo hydrogenolysis (exothermic) resulting in a runaway reaction.

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Yes, what i was referring to.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/op060155c

300+ citations, lots of fun info to pick through here.

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Classification is not considered conclusive, but 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran may form peroxides.

https://ehs.ucsc.edu/lab-safety-manual/specialty-chemicals/peroxide-formers-list.html

Please be careful when using and concentrating peroxidizable, or potentially peroxidizable solvents by evaporation or distillation. You may blow yourself up.

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You end up with teeny tiny crystals when you use an antisolvent so it wouldn’t directly replace diamond mining.

I think the reason you don’t hear people using it is because THF forms explosive peroxides.

It’d definitely take you to isolate a lot quicker than solvent evaporation could.

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