Ether, Naphtha and White Gas

[P3D Bill Davis <bd3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some feedback and additional comments on my earlier post on Solvents for
Shutters:


What is ETHER?
As the chemists (and some of us non-chemists) know, the term "ether" is
kind of like the term "acid", referring more to the type of molecular
structure than to a specific chemical identity.  For instance, I work with
dipropylene glycol monobutyl ether and dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether.
One of the additives in gasoline is methyl-tert butyl ether. There are
literally hundreds of chemical ethers. 

Two chemists wrote to tell me that "ether" in the U.S. is probably diethyl
ether, a.k.a. oxybisethane.    

Another list member wrote:
>For ether, I use aerosol cans of 'starting fluid', which is mostly
>(perhaps all?) ether.  

I checked a bunch of starting fluids for their components.  Mostly diethyl
ether, yes (at least greater than 50%) but they also can contain hexane,
heptane and methanol, as well as heavier oils in many cases to replace some
of the cylinder lube washed off by the ether. 

Alex, a European member, writes:
>a specially well-cleaned type of benzine with a low boiling 
>temperature (about 40 to 70 degrees Celsius at 101 kPa. It's also called 
>"Petrol=Ether" (Petrol Ether). This may answer the question why it's call=
>ed Ether in the Netherlands ...
>
>Petrol Ether is a mixture of Pentane (C5 H12) and Hexane (C6 H14).
>

So ether here may not be ether there. 

 
What is NAPHTHA?
Elliot wrote:

>The VM&P in VM&P Naptha stands for Varnish Makers and Painters. From all
>I've been able to discover, it's just plain old naptha. It's flammable.

I was able to cross-reference the C.A.S. Registry number for VM&P Naphtha.
It is the same as mineral spirits, a.k.a. Stoddard Solvent. OSHA PEL:
300PPM, STEL: 400PPM, Flash point 30 DEG. C., Evaporation Rate 0.2, Vapor
Density 4.9.  Acute health effects:  Inhalation can cause intoxication,
peripheral nerve disorders, CNS depression and throat irritation.  Can be a
skin irritant.

What is WHITE GAS?:

The original poster used this term synonymously with lantern fuel, then
these comments were made:

>I was under the impression that it was more highly refined
>gasoline, and without lead, detergents, etc.  

and 
>I have heard Kerosene referred to as "white gas".

and
>It was also the unleaded gas Amoco used to sell long before
>today's unleaded gas replaced leaded gas in the U.S.

Comments one and three are not necessarily exclusive, but comment two
disagrees. So, will the real "white gas" please stand up?  If anyone has a
C.A.S. number for this and/or its "real" identity, please let me know.

A final note:
John Roberts writes:
>One difference I've noticed is that commercial gasoline contains an enormous
>number of different compounds (aside from the additives), 

That's for sure.  I checked constituents of about a half-dozen of the
several hundred gasolines on the DOD HazMat CD ROM, and none were greater
than 80% gasoline.  ALL OF THEM included various xylenes, toluene, hexane,
alkanes, cyclohexane, ethyl benzene, heptane, pentane and even benzene, in
quantities of 1-15%.  Wow!  And they let anybody pump gallons of this stuff! 

Don't use pump gasoline for cleaning shutters.







Best regards,
Bill Davis
mailto:bd3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Still searching for the "Any" key so I can strike it and continue. 


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