Silica Gel... on Tap!

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Here's a tip I learned from the Jasti Lab at BU (now out in the pacwest @ University of Oregon). If you don't have a walk-in hood for safe storage of silica gel, put your silica gel on tap in a standard chemistry hood. Commonly, you'll find drums resting in the corners of labs, which can be dangerous if you don't have protective masks or disturb the silica gel too much. This method will allow you to put the drum in an unused hood (only takes up half of a hood, actually) and dispense it easily and safely.

• Drum lid, plastic screwable fitting, rubber plumbing septum,  and a plastic valve. All parts can be bought for < $15 at in the plumbing section of your local hardware store. Drill a hole in the lid and fit with plastic screwable fitting.

• The plastic septa will hopefully absorb the torque from the valve when opening preventing rupture of the relatively week plastic lid.
• Screw this set-up back onto the silica gel drum.
• Find a sturdy platform to mount the apparatus onto. We found a ridiculously sturdy aluminum stand that was collecting dust around the department, which the UF-chemistry machine shop drilled a hole in for us.
• PRO-NOTE: don't throw away the drum's metal sealing ring. you gotta put this back on to properly seal the lid and drum.

• Grab a drill and throw a little air hole in the top of 'dat drum. That's pretty much it! Grab a transfer-container and a powder funnel and start purifying those organic molecules worry free! Happy separating boys and girls!

Comprehensive List of OChem Laboratory Equipment

Hello! So I have spent the last 1.5 months setting up my organic chemistry research lab at the University of Florida! As such, I have changed my standard focus from running reactions, reading the ASAPs, and enjoying a libation or two to setting up a laboratory and preparing for CHM5225, "General Principles of Organic Chemistry." I guess there was a Gordon Conference squeezed in there too, which left me more exhausted than ever! Suffice it to say, it has been an exciting time!

Not surprisingly, something came out of this experience that I thought might be useful to others: A Comprehensive List of OChem Laboratory Equipment. Such a list could be useful to people setting up a research-oriented organic lab. Though "interweb" (or is it "interpipe?") searches were attempted to find such lists, they don't appear to be present on the WWW in a comprehensive format. Here is a first step toward changing this, eventhough I am sure (a) items are missing, (b) everyone's needs are different and (c) people's vision of OChem labs are different than mine. Anyway, I hope/think someone may find this useful.

The following document is meant to outline "essential" items and equipment that belong in an organic chemistry lab. The list includes the following sections:

(a) Personal Glassware and (b) Other Personal Items: Items intended not to be shared (It is up to the individual to care for and maintain these items... mostly common and/or small items)
(c) Oversized/Shared Glassware: Items that are less common, less utilized, and/or expensive.
(d) Shared Lab Equipment.
(e) Disposables and Consumables.

If you are interested in this document, you will also notice that I have supplied part numbers for your convenience. All items were essentially purchased from Fisher and Chemglass in this case. I have NOT included my negotiated price... do your own bartering!! :-) (seriously though, don't forget to negotiate pricing).

edit: As far as I can tell, I cannot add an excel file to these posts, but I do plan to post it on my website when I get around to it.

After many man-hours with plenty of help from a young graduate student, the lab has been set up!!! Here are a few select photos of the Grenning Research Lab to shamelessly promote myself and UF.  We are not quite running reactions yet, but getting pretty darn close! CHEERS, AG