DonPeyote wrote:The reason for so many low yield extractions during the re/x phase , was because I had too high a ratio of Naptha to DMT in solution, so it would not precipitate out during the freeze phase. Reducing the volume of Naptha by evaporation to 10% of the extraction volume prior to freeze precipitation will optimize the yield.
Not sure if you mean too much naphtha during extraction or during recrystallization. If you mean that you used too much naphtha during recrystallization, then you are not doing it right. When done properly, it should not require evaporation.
Only use the minimum amount of warm solvent that is needed to dissolve almost all of the dmt in it. Keep the jar in a warm water bath while dissolving the dmt and when after repeated stirring, a few crumbs of dmt remain at the bottom, you know that the solvent has been saturated. Decant the still warm solution from any impurities that were insoluble in the naphtha into a clean and dry container for freeze precipitation.
Slow crystalliztion, by slower cooling improves the results. Letting the container and the saturated solution cool down to room temperature before putting it in the freezer will give bigger crystals. Intermediate placement in the refrigerator also improves results.
Do not heat the solvent too much. It must be warm of course, but not over the melting point of dmt. If it does, dmt will initially start precipitating in molten form when the solution cools a little, but is still hot enough for dmt to exist in molten form. This molten dmt will form blobs as they solidify, not nice crystals.