Question

What is the best solvent for impure fluorene? The possibilities are methyl alcohol, water, and toluene. I'm betting toluene but I don't know its boiling point.

Thanks from Sheryl


My Merck Index lists 9H-Fluorene as freely soluble in glacial acetic acid and soluble in carbon disulfide, ether, benzene, and hot alcohol. I assume it is not soluble in H2O at all. mp of fluorene is 116-117 and bp is 295. bp of toluene is 110.6. The Merck Index also says fluorene is "dazzling white leaflets or flakes from alcohol" so I would think alcohol would be a good solvent for recrystallization (that's what Merck implies, anyway). I'm sure tolune will dissolve fluorene, also, but it may dissolve the impurities, too. Of course, I'm assuming you want to recrystallize and that may not be your question at all.


Yes, we are recrystallizing. Thanks.

Sheryl

Answer 1

In that case, I would recommend using methyl alcohol as the solvent. It has a lower boiling point than toluene, so it will be easier to evaporate off the solvent and leave the pure fluorene behind.