Can I separate water from Carbon tetrachloride by the method of fractional distillation?
Carbon tetrachloride boils at 76C and water at 100C. They should be separable by simple distillation. The carbon tetrachloride will be saturated with water. You may not see it but water will be dissolved in the organic phase. Leave the distilled carbon tetrachloride standing over finely divided anhydrous sodium sulfate for a day should dry it up fairly effeciently and give you an almost anhydrous product. You should realize that carbon tet is a liver toxin and that this procedure should be performed in an efficient hood.
