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Among chemists, the morning coffee-break is a well-established custom. During these informal symposia much worthwhile data are exchanged. We should like to sit in and tell you about some of our 1,000 plus M E R C K LABORATORY CHEMICALS. SOXHLET JOCKEYS' DELIGHT
Blasé c h r o m a t o g r a p h e r s recognize Skellysolve " B " as n-hexane, the classic solvent for column chromatography of carotenoids. Eager-beaver Soxhlet jockeys faced with multiple long-running fat extractions are quite understandably enthusiastic over Skellysolve "B's" narrow 10° boiling range. This characteristic permits them to run extractions overnight without fear of losing low-boiling inflammable solvent fractions . . . which is a commonly encountered drawback with petroleum benzin. SUPERCHARGED STOMACH ACID
Supercharging or forced induction, as the engineers call it, pulls more power out of an internal combustion engine by packing in more oxygen. Hydro-
chloric acid, when power-packed with four extra oxygens, comes out as perchloric acid . . . the demon oxidizer. Analytical chemists tell us our Perchloric Acid 70% Reagent is hot as a uranium pistol for wet-ashing organic compounds . . . though mere ability to meet ACS standards is no guarantee this excitable acid will not deflagrate if treated unkindly. Lest anyone think that Perchloric Acid is long on bang ( !) and short on versatility, we hasten to point out that its other virtues include dissolving metal samples, separating sodium from potassium, titrating in non-aqueous solvents for sulfa drugs, amino acids and inorganic salts of organic acids, and acting as an acid catalyst. METHYL CELLOSOLVE LOVES BURETTES
Methyl Cellosolve is more viscous t h a n methanol. This rather u n e x c i t i n g f a c t is loaded with portent for certain highly volatile but deliberate chemists who have been observed to blow their tops after a titration has been fouled up by methanol leaking past the stopcock of their trusty burette. In the interest of maintaining normal arterial tone, we'd like to suggest Merck Methyl Cellosolve Reagent as a replacement for methanol. MMC not only won't leak past burette stopcocks but its low volatility makes it most useful in the paper strip chromatography of steroids, and as a solvent for low-viscosity cellulose acetate, natural resins, and some alcohol soluble dyes.
Precision Tools for Accurate Analysis
M
MERCKI ^JHKI
LURING THE WILY A L K A L O I D
Good hog-callers have the ability to paint vocally an irresistible promise of immediate gluttonous delights that move even the fattest, laziest, most distant old sow. By some quirk of structure, Phosphomolybdic Acid has this same irresistible come-hither effect on alkaloids. It doesn't matter whether it's morphine, quinine, uric acid, xanthine, caffeine or creatinine, nor does it do the shy ones any good if they are hidden in blood, urine, serum, plasma or other tissue fluids; just add a bit of Phosphomolybdic and down they come . . . fat, happy, and precipitated. If you're pursuing some especially reluctant alkaloids, try our Phosphomolybdic Acid Reagent Crystals—reports from the field suggest that these crystals have a little bit more of the old hurry, hurry, hurry appeal.
MERCK LABORATORY CHEMICALS
M E R C K R A H W A Y .
& CO., INC. N E W
J E R S E Y
O Merck & Co., Inc.
VOL. 30, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 1958
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