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Be very wary of 'what you hear'. TLC is typically not used to identify a compound from a crude mixture. TLC is mostly used as a way of monitoring a reaction from starting material to product to observe the change in polarity as the reaction progresses (assuming you already know which spot is your starting material).

I would have great doubt if anyone was claiming to extract a crude plant, and then claim that a certain spot you see on a TLC is DMT, unless there is an established solvent system for TLC that will give a known rf value for DMT. With a UV light you will likely see any aromatic or highly conjugated organic molecule. With proper staining reagents you will probably just see more organic molecules in there. Being that DMT only contains 1 aromatic ring, it is not THAT UV visible. Typically you may need additional staining supplies such as an Iodine chamber (probably the easiest to use), KMnO4 in EtOH, or another known acid staining solution and a heat gun.

There is no 'correct' solvent to use for any given column in organic chemistry. Usually the chemist will preform many TLCs with a variety of solvents, often times even solvent mixtures (this is most beneficial as you can alter the ratio of each solvent to adjust the polarity of the column). Which ever TLC plate shows the best separation, this is the one that will be used, or further modified and then used. Also, I do not think the solvent system will vary greatly from plant to plant as the molecule DMT has the same polarity regardless, so its affinity for the silica gel in the column and solvents are not changing. Only thing that would be changing are the other organic impurities in the plant.

Lastly, if you are using CC, I highly recommend volatile solvents (meaning they evaporate easily). A boiling point lower than that of water would be a good starting point. Afterwards, MAKE SURE YOUR PRODUCT IS DRY. Even if it takes days and days, do not consume until all the solvent is gone, and then some just to be safe. Ingesting toxic solvents is quite carcinogenic and just bad for your overall health.

EDIT: since you say you have access to silica gel, a UV lamp, TLC plates, and such, do you also have access to organic solvents? Over the counter ones like naptha or butane will work, but higher grade solves such as diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, and dichloromethane would be a plus.

Hope this helped a little. Let me know if I can clarify something, although some stuff you will just need to google about basic organic chemistry.

<blockquote data-quote="Powerdana" data-source="post: 3631010" data-attributes="member: 21285">Be very wary of &#039;what you hear&#039;. TLC is typically not used to identify a compound from a crude mixture. TLC is mostly used as a way of monitoring a reaction from starting material to product to observe the change in polarity as the reaction progresses (assuming you already know which spot is your starting material).I would have great doubt if anyone was claiming to extract a crude plant, and then claim that a certain spot you see on a TLC is DMT, unless there is an established solvent system for TLC that will give a known rf value for DMT. With a UV light you will likely see any aromatic or highly conjugated organic molecule. With proper staining reagents you will probably just see more organic molecules in there. Being that DMT only contains 1 aromatic ring, it is not THAT UV visible. Typically you may need additional staining supplies such as an Iodine chamber (probably the easiest to use), KMnO4 in EtOH, or another known acid staining solution and a heat gun.There is no &#039;correct&#039; solvent to use for any given column in organic chemistry. Usually the chemist will preform many TLCs with a variety of solvents, often times even solvent mixtures (this is most beneficial as you can alter the ratio of each solvent to adjust the polarity of the column). Which ever TLC plate shows the best separation, this is the one that will be used, or further modified and then used. Also, I do not think the solvent system will vary greatly from plant to plant as the molecule DMT has the same polarity regardless, so its affinity for the silica gel in the column and solvents are not changing. Only thing that would be changing are the other organic impurities in the plant.Lastly, if you are using CC, I highly recommend volatile solvents (meaning they evaporate easily). A boiling point lower than that of water would be a good starting point. Afterwards, MAKE SURE YOUR PRODUCT IS DRY. Even if it takes days and days, do not consume until all the solvent is gone, and then some just to be safe. Ingesting toxic solvents is quite carcinogenic and just bad for your overall health.EDIT: since you say you have access to silica gel, a UV lamp, TLC plates, and such, do you also have access to organic solvents? Over the counter ones like naptha or butane will work, but higher grade solves such as diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, and dichloromethane would be a plus.Hope this helped a little. Let me know if I can clarify something, although some stuff you will just need to google about basic organic chemistry. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile&nbsp; &nbsp; :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

[QUOTE="Powerdana, post: 3631010, member: 21285"] Be very wary of 'what you hear'. TLC is typically not used to identify a compound from a crude mixture. TLC is mostly used as a way of monitoring a reaction from starting material to product to observe the change in polarity as the reaction progresses (assuming you already know which spot is your starting material). I would have great doubt if anyone was claiming to extract a crude plant, and then claim that a certain spot you see on a TLC is DMT, unless there is an established solvent system for TLC that will give a known rf value for DMT. With a UV light you will likely see any aromatic or highly conjugated organic molecule. With proper staining reagents you will probably just see more organic molecules in there. Being that DMT only contains 1 aromatic ring, it is not THAT UV visible. Typically you may need additional staining supplies such as an Iodine chamber (probably the easiest to use), KMnO4 in EtOH, or another known acid staining solution and a heat gun. There is no 'correct' solvent to use for any given column in organic chemistry. Usually the chemist will preform many TLCs with a variety of solvents, often times even solvent mixtures (this is most beneficial as you can alter the ratio of each solvent to adjust the polarity of the column). Which ever TLC plate shows the best separation, this is the one that will be used, or further modified and then used. Also, I do not think the solvent system will vary greatly from plant to plant as the molecule DMT has the same polarity regardless, so its affinity for the silica gel in the column and solvents are not changing. Only thing that would be changing are the other organic impurities in the plant. Lastly, if you are using CC, I highly recommend volatile solvents (meaning they evaporate easily). A boiling point lower than that of water would be a good starting point. Afterwards, MAKE SURE YOUR PRODUCT IS DRY. Even if it takes days and days, do not consume until all the solvent is gone, and then some just to be safe. Ingesting toxic solvents is quite carcinogenic and just bad for your overall health. EDIT: since you say you have access to silica gel, a UV lamp, TLC plates, and such, do you also have access to organic solvents? Over the counter ones like naptha or butane will work, but higher grade solves such as diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, and dichloromethane would be a plus. Hope this helped a little. Let me know if I can clarify something, although some stuff you will just need to google about basic organic chemistry. :) [/QUOTE]