video tutorial Ethyl iodide using iodine and aluminium foil

Name: video tutorial - Ethyl iodide using iodine and aluminium foil
Uploaded: 2025-12-11T09:03:43.791Z
Duration: 9 min 22 s
Description: In this video we're going to try out an unusual preparation of ethyl iodide.

Unconventional synthesis of ethyl iodide from iodine and aluminum metal in ethanol (alternative to iodine and red phosphorus).
Starting materials: 30 g iodine, 5 g aluminum foil, 25 mL ethanol in a 250 mL flask with a reflux condenser; ethanol used in excess (theoretical ~14 mL, about 25 mL added).
Aluminium reacts with iodine to form aluminium iodide; reaction is highly exothermic and side reactions with ethanol occur.
After ~30 minutes, strong reflux develops; aluminium dissolves to a dark brown sludge; stirring continues and a bit more ethanol (10 mL) is added.
Reaction continues for nearly two hours of reflux; eventually the mixture cools and the contents are distilled.
Initial distillate appears to be excess ethanol; later, tiny pale yellow droplets indicative of ethyl iodide are observed; distillation lasts several hours.
Post-reaction workup: quench, distill all liquid, wash with strong brine, separate organic layer, second wash with sodium bisulfite to decolorize, dry with calcium chloride, yielding a clear liquid with a yellow tint.
Crude product: 24 g of ethyl iodide (approx. 65% yield from starting iodine); not as pure as the red phosphorus route or the ethanol/potassium iodide/phosphoric acid route.
Notes: the reaction is lengthy and very exothermic; scaling up requires caution.