Potassium ethyl xanthate Potassium ethyl xanthate Potassium ethyl xanthate (KEX) is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula CHCHOCSK. It is a pale yellow powder that is used in the mining industry for the separation of ores. Unlike the related sodium ethyl xanthate, the potassium salt exists as an anhydrous salt. Xanthate salts are prepared by the action of alkoxides on carbon disulfide. The alkoxide is often generated in situ from potassium hydroxide: Potassium ethyl xanthate is a pale yellow powder that is stable at high pH but rapidly hydrolyses at pH <9 at 25 °C. Unlike the sodium derivative, potassium xanthate crystallizes
2-Ethyl-1-butanol its presence helps reduce viscosity and lower freezing points. 2-Ethyl-1-butanol 2-Ethyl-1-butanol (IUPAC name: 2-ethylbutan-1-ol) is an organic chemical compound. It can be used to facilitate the separation of ethanol from water, which form an azeotrope that otherwise limits the maximum ethanol concentration. 2-Ethyl-1-butanol is manufactured industrially by the aldol condensation of acetaldehyde and butyraldehyde, followed by hydrogenation. It may also be prepared by the Guerbet reaction. The branching in 2-ethyl-1-butanol makes it harder to crystalize due to packing disruption, which results in a very low freezing point. Esters of 2-ethyl-1-butanol are similarly effected and it therefore finds application as a