- published: 06 Aug 2013
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Petroleum ether is the petroleum fraction consisting of C₅ and C₆ hydrocarbons and boiling in the range 35‒60 ℃; commonly used as a laboratory solvent. The term ether is used only figuratively, signifying extreme lightness and volatility.
The very lightest, most volatile liquid hydrocarbon solvents that can be bought from laboratory chemical suppliers may also be offered under the name petroleum ether. Petroleum ether consists mainly of C₅ and C₆ aliphatic hydrocarbons and is usually low on aromatics. It is commonly hydrodesulfurized and may be hydrogenated to reduce the amount of aromatic and other unsaturated hydrocarbons. Petroleum ether bears normally a descriptive suffix giving the boiling range. Thus, from the leading international laboratory chemicals suppliers it is possible to buy various petroleum ethers with boiling ranges such as 30‒50 ℃, 40‒60 ℃, 50‒70 ℃, 60‒80 ℃, etc. In the United States, laboratory grade aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents with boiling ranges as high as 100‒140 ℃ still appear to be called petroleum ether, rather than petroleum spirit.
Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III (born July 29, 1972) is an American actor, blogger, voice actor and writer. He is known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me, Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers, and for his recurring role as a fictionalized version of himself on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
Wheaton was born July 29, 1972, in Burbank, California, the son of Debra Nordean "Debbie" (née O'Connor), an actress, and Richard William Wheaton, Jr., a medical specialist. He has a brother, Jeremy, and a sister, Amy. Both appeared uncredited in the episode "When the Bough Breaks" of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Amy also appeared alongside Wil in The Curse.
Wheaton made his acting debut in the 1981 television film A Long Way Home, and his first cinema role was as Martin Brisby in the 1982 animated film The Secret of NIMH, the movie adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. He had a minor role in the 1984 movie The Last Starfighter as Louis' friend, but it was cut. He first gained widespread attention in 1986, for playing Gordie Lachance in Stand by Me, the film adaptation of Stephen King's The Body.