Loosing methanol/methylamine during Al/Hg

[methlab]

Hi! I am using a 50cm Liebigcondenser, but today i recognized, that i loose up to 1/4 - 1/3 of my methanol. Maybe i should use icecold water instead of just cold water. My question is, does this effect also the methylamine concentration? Then this could be the reason for the decreased yield during Al/Hg.

[Rhodium]

Maybe i should use icecold water instead of just cold water.
My question is, does this effect also the methylamine concentration?
Then this could be the reason for the decreased yield during Al/Hg.

Yes.
Likely.
Possible.

[ApprenticeCook]

Rhodium is right, definatly use ice water, if your using a pump to recirculate a bucket of water dump bags upon bags into the bucket, the water comes out heated from the reflux condenser so it will slowly melt the ice, as long as you have a overflow port on your bucket leading to the drain just keep dumping bags of ice into the bucket, the excess water will get pushed out.

[baalchemist]

Lightly dampen a piece of paper-towel and roll it into a plug for the top of the condenser. Don't pack it in there, just loosely plugged. This will aid in holding back those condensable vapors that are escaping, but not create a pressure-bomb scenario.....