The extraction of caffeine from tea leaves is a common organic chemistry experiment. A water/1-propanol/sodium chloride ternary system was found to be a suitable replacement for the more traditional water/organochlorine solvent systems. Approximately 80% of the caffeine in the tea leaves can be recovered as crude caffeine. The ternary system employs chemicals which are not only less expensive, but also less toxic.
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Citation
Murray, Scott D.; Hansen, Peter J. J. Chem. Educ.1995 72 851.
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