Safety
Diisopropyl ether tends to form explosive peroxides upon standing in air for long periods (years). This reaction proceeds more easily than for ethyl ether, due to the secondary carbon next to the oxygen atom, which makes storage of diisopropyl ether more dangerous. The stored solvent should therefore be tested for the presence of peroxides more often (recommended once every 3 months for diisopropyl ether vs. once every 12 months for ethyl ether). Peroxides may be removed by shaking the ether with a solution of iron(II) sulfate. For safety reasons, methyl tert-butyl ether is often used as an alternative solvent.
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Famous quotes containing the word safety:
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