Laboratory experiment demonstrates isolation of nutmeg oil and trimyristin, revealing effective extraction techniques.
In a single three-hour experiment students isolate oil of nutmeg by steam distillation of nutmeg and trimyristin by solid–liquid extraction from the residue. Warm ethanol is used as a safe and inexpensive solvent to extract pure trimyristin in good yield. In the following three-hour experiment students hydrolyze trimyristin and isolate myristic acid. They evaluate the purity of the isolated materials and success of the saponification by thin-layer chromatography. Myristic acid is identified from its melting point.
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Duarte et al. (2004) studied this question.
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