DIY Kitty Crack: ultra-potent catnip extract

Step 15 Evaporate the toluene

Put the container with the highly-refined toluene extract outside, under a fan, to blow off all the toluene. Toluene vapors are not toxic but they are quite flammable, so keep away from open flames. It takes a while to evaporate all of the solvent; overnight in my case.

Comments

[Idosci]

If you happen to have a high powered vacuum around you can suck off the toluene in about two hours.

[Idosci]

Ideally, if you had a science lab you would use a Rotovap.

[Swishercutter]

Anyone know what kind of pump system you would have to use to sustain the necessary vacuum without having explosive risks? I was thinking about a similar setup to what you would have to use to make your own vacuum tubes but would a compressor have any explosion risk with vapors in the system. I would think with a still (pressure cooker modified), low heat with a vacuum you could boil off the solvent quite quickly, plus with a condenser you could recover your solvent on the positive pressure side of the pump (right?). Also, I wonder if pure isopropanol or other solvents could be used.

[MikrySoft]

I know it's a bit of a grave-digging, but...
If you modify the instructable a bit you can substitute toluene with liquid butane. I read about this method used to process MJ, but it should work here as well.
What you need is:
Materials:
Butane (or propane or mix of both) - You can use lighter refills, but some may leave residue. Newport brand refills are reported to be good, Ronsonol are to be avoided. Larger tanks (without pressure regulator) are OK as well, but check first if gas has no additives for making it smelly or something.

Herb you want to extract active ingredients from - catnip in this case, tea or coffee if you want caffeine. The more finely ground it is the better. Dry works best.

Tools:
Plunger type coffee maker (you want one made from pyrex glass so it will handle rapid freezing)
Pyrex bowl or other large, flat container
Something to put gas through - Piece of wood with small hole to depress valve if you are using lighter refill, some tubing if you prefer larger tanks


Procedure is simple - just put your herb inside your coffee maker (2/3 way up), empty one or two cans of butane inside (to fill it to about 5/6) , put the plunger and push it a bit to make sure all of the herb is below butane and pull it back a bit (but not above butane level), wait couple minutes (you can tell when to stop judging the color of butane - the deeper it gets the more it has dissolved in it, when it stops getting darker it's time, but do not let the butane level to get below herb level) and push the plunger all the way down. Now pour your butane into your pyrex bowl and let it boil off. When it stops bubbling it's done. Congratulations, you have finished. Now collect your product into small bottle made from dark glass (most of things you can extract this way are sensitive to light).

For obvious reasons it should be done outside, far from any source of ignition

[Idosci]

Put the condenser between the vacuum and the vial. If it's in an ice bath the solvent will collect and you'll get minimal fumes in your vacuum.

[mista.v]

Could you just burn off the vapours like the flares on oil rigs?

[Darwinfish]

I'm no expert but I'd expect the heat to mess up the final product.

[nigtv]

why did you leave it in that vial? with such a small amount, why not put it into a glass baking pan, say 8" x 12" x 3" or w.e, and leave it out in the sun, and then take a razor blade and scrape it all up...thats the easiest way to do it, if you keep the liquid depth to under 1/4" then it will usually evaporate in under 2 hours :)