1.011 grams of nutmeg and 3 mL of TBME were added to a round bottom flask. The solution was gently boiled in an air distillation apparatus for 10 minutes and then cooled to allow the solids to settle. A micro-scale filtration apparatus was used to filter the liquid into a tared 25 mL flask. To remove the rest of the solid from the flask another 2 mL of TBME was added to the flask and heated briefly. The remaining solution was filtered through the micro-scale apparatus again. The solution was dried gently with air until the solvent evaporated and only the crude trimyristin remained. The crude product was dried before being weighed (0.704 grams) and recrystallized. 6 mL of acetone was added to the flask with the crude product and the solution was heated until the solid product dissolved completely. The solution was then cooled for 5 minutes to room temperature and then placed in an ice bath for 15 minutes allowing crystals to form. The crystals were collected via vacuum filtration and rinsed with 1 mL of acetone. In a clean round bottom flask 0.06g of trimyristin, 2 mL of 6M NaOH, and 2 mL of 95% ethanol were added. The solution was refluxed for 45 minutes. While the solution was being refluxed a second recrystallization was performed on the remaining trimyristin product. After the reflux was competed the solution was cooled to room temperature and then added into a 50 mL beaker with 8 mL of water. 2 mL of HCl was added dropwise to the beaker while stirring. The final solution was cooled in an ice bath for 10 minutes and vacuum filtered to produce 0.046 grams of myristic acid.
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