I scNnodr[ocl^tilsN]s-dtv JONO|rytndrNVlN lHl THEMANIPULATION OF AIR.SENSITIVECOMPOUNDS SECOND EDITION D. F.SHRIVER Nort hu'est ertt U tt i versi I v Evonstott. Illinois M. A. DREZDZON Antoco C hetn icu ls Contpurty, Nuperville, Illittois A Wiley-lnfersciencePublicotion JOHNWITEY & SONS New York / Chichester / Brisbqne / Toronlo / Singopore I- Copvright i' 1986bv John Wilel ct Sons.Inc. All rightsreserve'd. Published sinrultaneouslt in Canada. Reproductionor translationof anv part of thrs u ork be1'ondthat pernrittedb1'Section 107 or l0U of the 1976United StatesCopl'right Acr \\'ithoutthe pcrnrission of the copl'rightouncr is unlauful.Ilcqucsts for pcrnrissionor further in{ornrationshould bc addressedtt, the PermissionsDepartmcnl. John Wilo & Sons.Inc. Libru4' td Congre.ssCutaloging in Publication Data: Shriver,D. F'.(Du*'ard F.). 193.1- The manipulationof air-sensitiveconrpounds. "A Wile-,--lntersciencepublication. " lncludesbibliographical references and index. l. Chemistrv-Manipulation. 2. Vacuumtechnology. 3. Protectiveatmospheres.,{. Air-sensitivecontpounds. I. Drezdzon.M. A. (Mark A.) II. Title. QD6l.557 l9rJ6 542 86-1l0l2 lsBN0-.171-86773-X Printed in the United Statesof America r0 9 8 7 6 5 ,1 3 2 I PREFACE The continuedimportance of researchand developmentwith air-sensitivecom- pounds,coupled with the generallack of publicationsor undergraduateinstruc- tion on the techniquesused in this area, prompted us to revisethis monograph. The levelof presentationis designedto make the book usefulto the chemistwho is beginningwork in the field. In addition, considerabletechnical data and in- formation are given that should aid chemistsat all levelsof proficiencyin the designof experiments. In the belief that the beginnerneeds a selectiveapproach and the more sea- sonedworker will exercisehis ingenuity,we haverefrained from presentingbrief referencesto many similar items of equipment, but have attemptedto present rational approachesto the common operationsinvolved in the synthesis,separa- tion, and characterizationof air-sensitivematerials, and to illustratethese with typical apparatus.Whenever possible, these examples are basedon equipment with which we havehad experienceor on firsthand observationof the equipment usedby others.This has resultedin a somewhatpersonalized account, which we hope will ensurereliability without being objectionableto establishedworkers with different preferencesin equipment design.The techniquesdiscussed here were largelydeveloped for use with inorganic and organometalliccompounds; however,they are generallyuseful for problens involvinggases and air-sensitive solidsor liquids, so they find application in all areasof chemistry,as well as biology and physics. We had two goals in mind while writing this secondedition. The first was to bring the text up to date. Although there have been no radical new develop- ments,there has beena steadyimprovement in technique.Our secondobjective wasto make the book more accessibleto the readerinterested in a specifictech- nique. Thus more sectionheadings are used and more detailedexamples are given. PREFACE The continuedimportance of researchand developmentwith air-sensitivecom- pounds,coupled with the generallack of publicationsor undergraduateinstruc- tion on the techniquesused in this area, prompted us to revisethis monograph. The levelof presentationis designedto make the book usefulto the chemistwho is beginningwork in the field. In addition, considerabletechnical data and in- formation are given that should aid chemistsat all levelsof proficiencyin the designof experiments. In the belief that the beginnerneeds a selectiveapproach and the more sea- sonedworker will exercisehis ingenuity,we haverefrained from presentingbrief referencesto many similar items of equipment, but have attemptedto present rational approachesto the common operationsinvolved in the synthesis.separa- tion, and characterizationof air-sensitivematerials, and to illustratethese with typical apparatus.Whenever possible, these examples are basedon equipment with which we havehad experienceor on firsthand observationof the equipment usedby others.This has resultedin a somewhatpersonalized account, which we hope will ensurereliability without being objectionableto establishedworkers with different preferencesin equipment design.The techniquesdiscussed here were largely developedfor use with inorganic and organometalliccompounds; however,they are generallyuseful for problemsinvolving gases and air-sensitive solids or liquids, so they find application in all areasof chemistry,as well as biology and physics. We had two goalsin mind while writing this secondedition. The first was to bring the text up to date. Although there have been no radical new develop- ments,there has beena steadyimprovement in technique.Our secondobjective wasto make the book more accessibleto the readerinterested in a specifictech- nique. Thus more sectionheadings are used and more detailedexamples are given. PREFACE In the preparationof the first editionof this book aid u'asreceived from nrany people:A. L. Allred, F. Basolo,R. L. Burwell,Jr.,E. W. Schlag,Paul Treichel, R. W. Fowells,and Shirley Shriver. Useful suggestionsfor the secondedition were provided by L. Aspry, R. L. Burwell, Jr., P. Bogdan. N. J. Cooper, D. Kurtz. J. Malm, and S. H. Strauss.For aid in proofreadingwe appreciate the help of Ann Crespi, CynthiaSchauer, Daniel Shriverand Ralph Spindler. D. F. Ssnrvrn M. A. DnpzpzoN Evanston. Illinois Nuperville. Illinois Februum, I986 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PART4 INERT-ATMOSPHERETECHNIOUES 'l grNcx-roprNERT-ATMospHERETEcHNToUES l.l Techniquesfor Purgingand Drying Apparatus,7 1.2 Adaptationsof StandardGlassware, I I 1.3 Syringeand CannulaTechniques, l3 1.4 QuantitativeGas Manipulation,24 -Iechniques, I .5 Schlenk 30 1.6 CappablePressure Reactors,4l l 7 Hot Tube and SealedTube Technioues.42 GeneralReferences.44 2 INERT-ATMosPHEREGLovEBoxEs 45 2.1 GeneralDesign and Applications,45 2.2 Replacementof Air by an Inert Atmosphere.47 2.3 Sourcesof and Reductionof Impurities in Glove Box Atmospheres.51 2.4 Glove Box Hardware and Procedures,59 2.5 Typical Glove Box Systems,62 2.6 Equipmentand Operations,64 General References.66 3 INERTGASES AND THErR puRrFrcATroN 68 3.1 Sourcesand Purity,68 3.2 Purificationof Gases.69 vll r viii CONTENTS 3.3 Inert-GasPurification Systems, 80 3.4 Detectionof Impurities,83 General References.83 4 puRrFrcATroNoF sotvENTs AND REAGENTS 84 4.1 SolventPurification. 84 4.2 SolventStorage, 89 4.3 DetectingImpurities, 89 4.4 Purificationof SpecificSolvents, 90 4.5 Purificationof SomeCommonly Used Gases, 92 4.6 AnhydrousMetal Halides,95 GeneralReferences.96 PART2 VACUUM LINEMANIPULATIONS 5 vAcuuM LINEDESTeN AND oPERAIToN 99 5.1 GeneralDesign, 99 5.2 Initial Evacuation.103 5.3 Manipulationof VolatileLiquids and CondensableGases. 104 5.4 Lorv-TenrperatureBaths. 109 5.5 Vapor Pressureas a CharacteristicProperty, I l3 5.6 Manipulationof NoncondensableGases, I l3 5.7 Safety,116 GeneralReferences. ll7 6 PUMPsFoR RoUGH AND HIGH vAcuuM .t.t8 6.1 Rough-VacuunlSystems, l l8 6.2 High-VacuumPumping Systems, I l9 General References.128 7 PRESsUREAND FLOw MEAsUREMENT AND IEAKDETECTION t29 7.1 Manometry(l-760 torr), 129 7.2 Medium-and High-Vacuum Measurements(10 r-10 6 torr). 137 7.3 Leak Detection.143 7.4 Flow Measurement.146 7.5 Flow Control. 149 GeneralReferences. 150 CONTENTS IX 8 JorNTs,sToPcocKs, AND vALVES 152 8.1 Joints,152 8.2 Stopcocks,161 8.3 Valves.164 9 spEcrALrzEDvAcuuM LINE EeutpMENT AND opERATtoNs .r68 9.1 Characterization.168 9.2 Separations,190 9.3 Storageof Gasesand Solvents,200 9.4 SealedTube Reactions.202 9.5 MiscellaneousTechniques, 206 General References.208 '10 MEIALsYsTEMS 210 l0.l CompressedGases, 210 10.2 Cutting and BendingTubing, 214 10.3 Tubing, Joints,and Fittings,215 10.4 Heavy-WalledTubing and PipeJoints, 219 10.5 Valves.222 10.6 PressureGauges, 227 10.7 TypicalMetal Systems,227 General References.236 APPENDIXI SAFETY 237 I.l Combustibles,237 I.2 UnstableCompounds, 238 I.3 SomeDangerous Mixtures, 238 L4 Disposalof ReactiveWastes, 239 I.5 High-PressureGas Cylinders.240 I.6 Asphyxiationby Inert Gases,240 I.7 ExtinguishingFires, 240 General References.241 APPENDIXII GLASSAND GLASSBLOWING 242 II.l Propertiesof Glasses,242 IL2 Equipmentand Materials,245 II.3 Sequenceof Operations.247 II.4 Annealing,247 ll.5 Cutting GlassTubing,248 IL6 BendingGlass Tubing,249 II.7 Test-TubeEnds and Fire Cutoffs.249 I- CONTENTS II.8 End-to-EndSeals. 251 IL9 T-Seals.253 II.l0 RingSeals. 253 I I. I I ClosedCircuits. 255 II.l2 Metal-to-GlassSeals. 255 II.l3 HealingCracks and Pin Holes,256 IL14 SealingTubing under Vacuum,257 General References.258 APPENDIXIII PLASTICSAND ELASTOMERS 259 III.I Plastics:General Properties and Fabrication.260 IlL2 CellularPlastics. 265 III.3 Propertiesof SpecificPlastics, 267 III.4 Elastomers.272 lll.5 Propertiesof SpecificElastonrers, 272 General References.274 APPENDIXIV METATS 275 IV.l Propertiesof SpecificMetals, 276 General References.280 APPENDIXV VAPOR PRESSURESOF PURESUBSTANCES 28tl V.l Analy'ticalRepresentation of Vapor PressureData. 281 V.2 Least-SquaresFitting Procedurefor the AntoineEquation, 28.1 V.3 Correlationand Estimationof Vapor Pressures,286 V.4 Tableof Vapor Pressures.289 V.5 Sourcesof Vapor PressureData. 313 APPENDIXVI PRESSUREAND FLOW CONVERSIONS 3,15 INDEX 3.19 INTRODUCTION A. Generol Mefhods. The mostwidely used methods for handlingair-sen- sitivecompounds are basedon the useof an inert gasatmosphere to excludeair. This approachmay be further subdividedinto (