What does an inert atmosphere have to do with water?
Use the silica gel to dry the system then remove it and proceed. A small tube of fresh silica gel can keep out moisture.
I have several ideas for easy inert amosphere's in a reduction.
Helium is the obvious one.
Disposable helium tanks for ballons or better yet just get a tank of helium. A 210 cu ft tank is only about $50+deposit, then buy a regulator and you are set.
Here is my novel idea,
HydrogenFor reductions this should bee excellent, No? I am not sure if there would bee risks besides the obvious flammability of Hydrogen. Just set up a nice H2 generator by dripping H2SO4 on magnesium or iron or aluminum. Dry this gas and pipe it into the reaction. The flow rate is easily controlable by very slow dripping of H2SO4 from an addition funnel. Added Hydrogen can't hurt a reduction.
Here is Drone's H2 write uo.
https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/hydrogen.html
Anyone see any problems with this procedure?
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