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n-Heptane is the straight-chain alkane with the chemical formula H₃C(CH₂)₅CH₃ or C₇H₁₆. When used as a test fuel component in anti-knock test engines, a 100% heptane fuel is the zero point of the octane rating scale (the 100 point is a 100% iso-octane). Octane number equates to the anti-knock qualities of a comparison mixture of heptane and isooctane which is expressed as the percentage of isooctane in heptane and is listed on pumps for gasoline dispensed in the United States and internationally.

Uses

Heptane (and its many isomers) is widely applied in laboratories as a totally non-polar solvent. As a liquid, it is ideal for transport and storage. In the grease spot test, heptane is used to dissolve the oil spot to show the previous presence of organic compounds on a stained paper. This is done by shaking the stained paper in a heptane solution for about half a minute.

Extraction into heptane is a means by which aqueous bromine may be distinguished from aqueous iodine. In water, both bromine and iodine appear brown. However, iodine turns purple when dissolved in heptane, whereas the bromine solution remains brown.

Heptane is commercially available as mixed isomers for use in paints and coatings, as the rubber cement solvent "Bestine", the outdoor stove fuel "Powerfuel" by Primus, as pure n-Heptane for research and development and pharmaceutical manufacturing and as a minor component of gasoline.

Octane rating scale

n-Heptane is the zero point of the octane rating scale. It is undesirable in petrol, because it burns explosively, causing engine knocking, as opposed to branched-chain octane isomers, which burn more slowly and give better performance. It was chosen as the zero point of the scale because of the availability of very high purity n-heptane, unmixed with other isomers of heptane or other alkanes, distilled from the resin of Jeffrey Pine and from the fruit of Pittosporum resiniferum. Other sources of heptane and octane, produced from crude oil, contain a mixture of different isomers with greatly differing ratings and do not give as precise a zero point. ChevronPhillips Specialty Chemical produces a specialized grade of high purity n-Heptane (>99.0%) from crude oil through precision refining and distillation that is used in the measurement of octane rating for fuels.

Isomers and enantiomers

Heptane has nine isomers, or eleven if enantiomers are counted:

Heptane (n-heptane), H₃C–CH₂–CH₂–CH₂–CH₂–CH₂–CH₃,

2-Methylhexane (isoheptane), H₃C–CH(CH₃)–CH₂–CH₂–CH₂–CH₃,

3-Methylhexane, H₃C–CH₂–C^*H(CH₃)–CH₂–CH₂–CH₃ (chiral),

2,2-Dimethylpentane (neoheptane), (H₃C)₃–C–CH₂–CH₂–CH₃,

2,3-Dimethylpentane, (H₃C)₂–CH–C^*H(CH₃)–CH₂–CH₃ (chiral),

2,4-Dimethylpentane, (H₃C)₂–CH–CH₂–CH–(CH₃)₂,

3,3-Dimethylpentane, H₃C–CH₂–C(CH₃)₂–CH₂–CH₃,

3-Ethylpentane, H₃C–CH₂–CH(CH₂CH₃)–CH₂–CH₃,

2,2,3-Trimethylbutane, CH₃–C(CH₃)₂–CH(CH₃)–CH₃, this isomer is also known as pentamethylethane and triptane.

References

External links

International Chemical Safety Card 0657 (n-heptane)

International Chemical Safety Card 0658 (2-methylhexane)

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

Material Safety Data Sheet for Heptane

Phytochemical database entry

Category:Alkanes Category:Hydrocarbon solvents

Name	Loscil
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name	Scott Morgan
Origin	Vancouver, BC, Canada
Genre	electronic music Ambient techno experimental
Years active	1998 to present
Label	Kranky Ghostly International
Associated acts	Destroyer
Url	http://www.loscil.ca/

Loscil is the electronic/ambient music project of Scott Morgan, from Vancouver, BC. The name Loscil is taken from the "looping oscillator" function (loscil) in Csound. Scott Morgan is also the drummer for the Vancouver indie band Destroyer.

A self-released album titled A New Demonstration of Thermodynamic Tendencies caught the attention of experimental music label Kranky who signed Morgan on to release his first album Triple Point in 2001. Triple Point features six tracks off his first independent release as well as four new tracks.

Loscil followed up the release with Submers, an aquatic-themed album. Each track on the album is named after a submarine. The last track on the album was produced in honour of the people who died on the Russian submarine K-141 Kursk.

His 2004 album First Narrows (a reference to the official name of the Vancouver bridge, also known as Lions' Gate Bridge) marked the incorporation of improvised performances by a number of guest musicians: Nyla Raney, cello; Tim Loewen, guitar; and Jason Zumpano, Rhodes piano. Consequently, the songs were more organic and looser in nature than his previous work which he performed alone.

Eight of his songs were featured on the film score of the 2004 documentary ScaredSacred by award-winning documentary filmmaker Velcrow Ripper.

Stases is an album made up of background drones from his other albums. It was released for free on the website for the One record label.

The theme of his fourth album, released in 2006, continues the conceptual ascent each album has taken, from the sub-atomic level (Triple Point) and watery depths (Submers) to the surface (First Narrows) and the sky (Plume). Plume continues his musical integration of other musicians into his ambient compositions, including Josh August Lindstrom on vibes and xylophone and Krista Michelle Marshall and Stephen Michael Wood on ebow guitar (as well as Zumpano again on piano).

Discography

Albums

1999 A New Demonstration of Thermodynamic Tendencies

2001 Triple Point (Kranky)

2002 Submers (Kranky)

2004 First Narrows (Kranky)

2005 Stases (Drones 2001 - 2005) (One)

2006 Plume (Kranky)

2009 Strathcona Variations (Ghostly International)

2010 Endless Falls (Kranky)

Tracks Featured On

2003 Saturday Morning Empires (Intr Version)

2003 The Corporation documentary film soundtrack

2004 ScaredSacred documentary film soundtrack

2006 Idol Tryouts: Ghostly International Vol. 2 (Ghostly International)

2008 The Sleep Machine contributed to Chequerboards online Relay project

2009 Osmos computer game

See also

List of musicians from British Columbia

References

External links

Official Site

MySpace Page

Loscil at Kranky Records

"Environmental Music: Loscil's Impressionistic Portraits CBC Radio 3 Live Concert Session

Two and a Half Questions with Loscil - Interview on Headphone Commute (May, 2010)

Category:Ambient musicians Category:Canadian electronic musicians