Questions similar to this have been asked before, but none seem to have really been answered. Swim has obtained an OTC product that lists butryolactone as an ingredient. Other ingredients consist of such things as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, isopropanol, etc. Boiling points have been checked, and all found to have a lower BP then GBL.
Swim had the following plan to purify:
1) When H2O is added to the product and shaken, two layers form. Would it be reasonable to discard the non aqeuous layer, since GBL is miscible with H2O? Or would GBL stay in the non-aqueous layer? Something definately moves into the aqeous layer, as it becomes kind of oily. Would the GBL partition between the two layers?
2) If the top layer is discarded, and the remaining liquid is heated to 100degC, and boiled for a while, would it be safe to add NaOH, and synth NaGHB? Would this hydrolyse the acetate esters into carboxylics and alcohols, which would then boil off easier?
SWIM has a friend with access to a GC, can check out the final product for any other wierd impurities... That friend could also frac. distill it, but SWIM doesn't want to go there unless they have to.
I'd appreciate any suggestions.