Diethyl Ether Substitute?

[toppy]

Could anyone tell me if there is something my friend could use instead of diethyl ether for an extraction, maybe something with a very similar chemical structure.
Obtaining diethyl ether here in the UK is extremely difficult.
Thanks.

 

[benzyme]

THF. tetrahydrofuran

 

[justine]

THF. tetrahydrofuran

What about ethyl acetate ?

 

[benzyme]

EtOAc has a higher dielectric constant, it's too polar.
good for chromatographic separations though

 

[toppy]

THF. tetrahydrofuran

Thanks, If Diethyl Ether is the normal chemical to use for the last step of an extraction, would THF do more or less the same job?

 

[benzyme]

yup

keep in mind, I answered your question from a chemist's point of view.. actually obtaining it
as a consumer is a different story. It doesn't exist in most OTC formulations, and is usually ordered (online). a certain popular auction site has it