4-methylpentan-2-one = methyl isobutyl ketone
It is used (supposedly) for cocaine extraction
http://www.erowid.org/freedom/law/federal_register/60.FR.19509.shtml
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bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate
it's a strong lipophilic acid, that can be used as a soap, phase transfer catalyst, or, notably, to extract rare earth metals like rhodium. (hydrogenation catalysts) Also see the below abstract, where they extract catecholamines, suggesting perhaps use in ephedrine extractions.
Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan, vol 32 no 1 pp 76-81 (1999) [Japanese]
Solvent Extraction and QSPR of Catecholamines with a Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Hydrogen Phosphate
KAZUHARU YOSHIZUKA, YUKO FUJIMOTO, KEISUKE OHTO AND KATSUTOSHI INOUE
Department of Applied Chemistry, Saga University, Saga 840-8502, Japan
Keywords: Extraction, QSPR, Catecholamine, Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Hydrogen Phosphate, Molecular Modeling
In order to develop an effective separation process for catecholamine (CA), a basic investigation on solvent extraction of dopamine (DA), adrenaline (Ad) and noradrenaline (NA) from hydrochloric acid solution and their stripping is conducted at 30 C employing bis(2-ethylhexyl) hydrogen phosphate (D2EHPA) in chloroform, n- hexane and toluene as the organic diluents. From the dependencies of the distribution ratios on the concentrations of reactant species, i.e. CA, hydrogen ion and D2EHPA, it is elucidated that CA (RNH2) is extracted with D2EHPA (HR') according to the ion exchange mechanism, as the complex type, RNH3R'(HR')3, and the equilibrium constants (Kex,CA) for the extraction reactions are also evaluated. The quantitative structure property relationship (QSPR) of Kex,CA vlaues for each organic diluent is discussed using molecular modeling with semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations considering the solvent effect.
also,
http://www.rhodia-ec.com/site_ec_us/our_expertise/page_extraction.htm
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ethyl Trifluoroacetate
Is a good protecting agent for primary amines:
"The synthesis of the small-molecule ligands 3 and 4 is described in outline. Spermine 1 was non-symmetrically tri-t-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) protected in a one-pot reaction (Figure 3) [53,54]. Ethyl trifluoroacetate reacts rapidly and cleanly with primary amines, allowing poly-Boc protection of all the remaining amine functional groups. Trifluoroacetamides, e.g. 13, are easily cleaved, in the presence of Boc groups, at pH 11."
This may have some relevance to drug synthesis.
Alternately, one could hydrolyze it to yield trifluoroacetic acid, which might be transformable into trifluoroacetic anhydride, useful for LSD synthesis.
Is trifluoroacetic acid also watched?