OTC 95% Ethanol

[gabd]

I walked in a big drugstore chain last week looking for rubbing alcohol. There I found instead of the usual 70% isopropanol, some 95% ethanol. It also contains:
- Camphor Mp 177 C  Bp 207 C
- Diethyl phtalate Bp 298
- Diethylbenzylbenzoate(where are the ethyl? Can anyone tell me)
Cant find the boiling point but benzylbenzoate as a Bp of 323. A simple distillation should allow to recover 100% ethanol at a very cheap price.
I am just wondering about the reliability of the ingredient list. Cant they put other ingredients in there without mentionning them?
Anyway, I think its a good OTC source, just have to distill it to bee sure.

[calcium]

No, you cannot simply distil to get pure EtOH!

[gabd]

What do you mean. Why cant I distill ethanol?
If its 95% with 5% of above 200 C boiling points additives.
Denatured alcohol is simply ethanol with a bit of methanol(usually 15%) to make it unfit for drinking.
Please explain to me, I just dont understand why not.
Thanks

[Aurelius]

Distilling this particular mixture might result in 100% ethanol if it is fresh.  Depending on how much of the other ingredients are in the denatured alcohol, the 5% left may be entirely exclusive of water. If no water is in that mixture, then 100% ethanol could be distilled from the solution.  However, b/c this is not a reagent for chemical use and it has probably been on a shelf for a long time, I'd imagine that at least a little bit of water has made it into the mix.

[yellium]

doesn't ethanol also form an azeotrope with methanol?

[lugh]

doesn't ethanol also form an azeotrope with methanol?

According to CRC Handbook of Physics and Chemistry's Table of Azeotropes, no such azeotrope is formed  

[gabd]

to dry the distilled ethanol with CaO.

[nitroglycerin]

Thers 1 gallon jugs of denatured alcohol in the hardware stores. They are 90% ethanol and 10%methonal. Ethanol boiling point is higher then that of methanol. Can you distill it to remove the methanol?
Thers a pretty good boiling point difference.

[bones]

r u positive that its one etoh and meoh? cause if thats the case theres little point bothering to seperate it... assuming its only for solvent use.... metholated spirits.. in my case.. is supose it depends where you live.. but here its not simply etoh and meoh... its got other stuff in it that creates a reallllly bad taste when you use it as a solvent... even after complete evaporation.... its really quite difficult to purify poisoned alcohol...

[VinnyC]

to dry the distilled ethanol with CaO.

I believe you can do it in one step. Distill with CaO... keep air away from it (transferring from the receiver, and store cold). Please correct me if wrong.

[abolt]

My research into the constituents of the common 96% Ethanol(Methylated Spirits) found in Oz has found that it contains Ethanol, Water and a small amount of "Bittering agent" which if I remember correctly was Ethyl Acetate.

Methanol hasn't been added for years (in Oz), probably because of the medical costs for dealing with all the blind and poisoned wino's.

[UKBEE]

in the UK Swims found most denatured has bitrex in it....nasty nasty bitter chem.

infact i think its the most bitter substance known to man..

[bones]

abolt... ok.. doesnt really smell like ethylacetate... but im not going to argue..... absolute alcohols are indeed difficult to buy here... but they're pretty easy to "borrow" from unis.... not everyone remains here like i have though... distillation must be effective...

[jose]

can be had from racing fuel suppliers but you have to take
at least 5 gallons or as many sealed drums as you care to purchase
It is nearly free of water as water in an engine fuel is BAD
It usually goes for around 50c a gallon in bulk
works better than ethonal for extractions of sorts

[randolph_carter]

in this neck of the werld (usa) we have available 95% ethanol (190 proof)otc in the form of "everclear" and "golden grain" brands of liquor in of course the liquor stores....
even if you do not have these brands available one could easily distill your normal garden varieties of vodka, rum etal to obtain 95% ethanol 5% h20 azetrope....

MUCH simpler than trying to distill out the "denaturants" in the hardware store etc.....

imho

[bones]

silly question but why is 95% booze sold in liquor stores?  please tell me its not designed for drinking?  i mean ive tasted US beer... and its like girly candy water ... spose if it is you guys must have some happy alcho's over there

[Rhodium]

It is supposed to be used for making tinctures etc. Where else would they sell undenatured 95% ethanol if not there?

[nitrous351]

Here in the US, 95% booze is sold to GET FUCKED UP!!! It's usually not availabe in bars however. It's also useful for starting fires on your driveway.

[randolph_carter]

why yes!!!
for drankin......
we DO drink it lilith and i......
quite simply the "cleanest" (no nitrosamines etc....) drinking alky available short of absolute alky which is WAY too pricey.....
use only 50% as much as you would of vodka etc.....
if ya look at yer vodka or rum bottle closely you may note that it is from "grain neutral spirits" which is exactly what 190-proof alky is.....
so you may already bee drinkin it now and not know it.....
additionally the cost is almost the same per ml as 80 proof stuff...
go figure.....
jus a ravin inta da birdseye in da afternoon.....

[blunts]

Everclear (95% alcohol) is sold in liquor stores around here.  It is usually mixed with juices (jungle juice) or made into other mixed drinks. 
Also, Prom was this past weekend and many kids brought everclear in flasks, since you get twice the amount of alcohol in the same container.