Question #1479e

1 Answer
Doc Croc.
Dec 20, 2016

carbon dioxide

Explanation:

At the right temperature and pressure liquid carbon dioxide (a supercritical fluid under these conditions) is an excellent solvent. It is used e.g. for extracting caffeine to make decaffeinated drinks.

It is a relatively green solvent as it is non-toxic and a normal component of the atmosphere (agreed we have more of it in the atmosphere than is good for us!). It is chemically inert, so does not have an effect on our reactants or products. It is easy to remove the solvent once reaction is complete - just return to atmospheric pressure and temperature and the carbon dioxide is released as a gas leaving the dissolved material behind.

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