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 chromatographers recognize Skellysolve " B " as Λ-hexane, the classic solvent for column chromatography of carotenoids. Eager-beaver Soxhlet jockeys faced with multiple long-run ning fat extractions are quite under standably enthusiastic over Skellysolve " B ' s " narrow 10° boiling range. This characteristic permits t h e m to run ex tractions overnight without fear of los ing low-boiling inflammable solvent fractions . . . which is a commonly en countered 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 per chloric acid . . . the demon oxidizer. Analytical chemists tell us our Per chloric 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 t h a t Perchloric Acid is long on bang (!) and short on versatility, we hasten to point out t h a t 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 or ganic acids, and acting as an acid catalyst. METHYL CELLOSOLVE LOVES BURETTES M e t h y l Cellosolve is more viscous than methanol. This rather u n e x c i t i n g f a c t is loaded with portent for certain highly vol atile but deliberate chemists who have been observed to blow their tops after a titra tion has been fouled up by methanol leaking past the stop cock of their trusty burette. In the interest of maintaining normal arterial tone, we'd like to suggest Merck Methyl Cellosolve Reagent as a re placement for methanol. M M C not only won't leak past burette stopcocks b u t its low volatility makes it most useful in the paper strip chromatog raphy of steroids, and as a solvent for low-viscosity cellulose acetate, natural resins, and some alcohol soluble dyes.
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
LURING THE WILY ALKALOID
Good hog-callers have the ability t o paint vocally an irresistible promise of immediate gluttonous delights t h a t move even the fattest, laziest, most distant old sow. B y some quirk of structure, Phosphomolybdic Acid has this same irresistible come-hither effect on alkaloids. It doesn't m a t t e r whether it's morphine, quinine, uric acid, xan thine, 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 reluc t a n t alkaloids, t r y our Phosphomolyb dic Acid Reagent Crystals—reports from the field suggest t h a t these crystals have a little bit more of the old hurry, hurry, hurry appeal.
M E R C K Analysis
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