Substitutes for 190 proof vodka

[henry37]

Hello,
      In some of the literature I have, some instructions call for 190 proof vodka. This item is not available in my state, as there are laws prohibiting sale above a certain proof. Nor is it the cheapest thing either... I was wondering, if there is a substitute when such is called for, perhaps denatured alcohol, or something else that is more readily available, and perhaps cheaper? Thanks in advance for helping me overcome this hurdle.

Henry

[ApprenticeCook]

whats the method you are talking about?

its been covered post after post after post.... we cannot read your mind, tell us exactly what your talking about, link a source of the information and ask a direct question... if you dont know one will reply...

-AC

[henry37]

One procedure is the purification of crude methylamine crystals, as described in Fester's "Secrets of MA Manufcature," p102. The vodka is added to the crude crystals and heated. Filtering is performed and the alcohol is allowed to cool, and crystals precipitate out.

The other one is described in the same book on page 95. I don't actually intend to perform this reaction but desire to know for informational purposes. Phenylacetone, a methylamine solution, and 190 proof vodka are mixed together, along with aluminum.

[CharlieBigpotato]

you should bee able to reach 190 proof

[abolt]

Isn't Denatured Alcohol (95%) "190 proof alcohol"?

[Vitus_Verdegast]

Isn't 190 proof wodka 95% potable alcohol?

I see no reason at all for using this instead of cheap denatured alcohol.

Except if one wishes to distill a longdrink out of the post-rxn mixture..  

[Un_Chambered]

My guess would be that the 5% H2O content of 190 proof vodka is utilized as a kind of dual-solvent(EtOH/dH2O) system in the procedures.Denatured alchol(EtOh/MeOH) doesn't contain any significant quantity of water as far as I know so it wouldn't be a very close substitute for 190 proof vodka(EtOH/dH2O).
But I don't know shit so..........
Peace,Chambered.

[hypo]

> Denatured alchol(EtOh/MeOH) doesn't contain any significant quantity of water as far as I know

of course denat. EtOH does contain about 5% water.
(drying ethanol is _expensive_ (and useless for typical denat. alcohol aplications,
namely cleaning and using it as fuel))

[Bond_DoubleBond]

One procedure is the purification of crude methylamine crystals, as described in Fester's "Secrets of MA Manufcature," p102.

use anhydrous alcohols to recrystallize methylamine.hcl.  if your alcohol contains water, it will retain substantially more meam even at cold temps.

even still, ethanol is hydroscopic and will absorb water from the atmosphere, thus lowering your recrystallization yield.  use methanol or isopropyl alcohol.  meoh is more efficient with respect to the scale of the recrystallization and you will need less solvent and smaller flasks, whereas ipa will produce will produce a product that is ~4% purer and is a pain in the ass for large scale.