In the development of an extraction method utilizing the ''salting out
'' technique, the extraction efficiencies for phenol, catechol, resorc
inol, and hydroquinone from aqueous solutions were determined using te
trahydrofuran (THF), acetonitrile (ACN), dimethylformamide (DMF), ethy
l acetate (EtOAc), and diethyl ether (Et2O). Single additions of potas
sium fluoride (anhydrous), sodium chloride, lithium chloride, ammonium
acetate, and sodium bicarbonate were used to saturate the solvent/wat
er combinations. Phase separations were not observed for combinations
of THF/LiCl, NaHCO3; ACN/NaHCO3; and DMF/NaCl, LiCl, NH4OAc, NaHCO3; A
CN/KF converted hydroquinone to quinone, while extraction DMF/KF yield
ed no hydroquinone in nonacidified solutions. Essentially an other sol
vent/salt combinations gave quantitative recoveries. As an aside and i
n addition, KF was determined to be an efficient drying agent.