# Application of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to estimate the normal boiling points of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) and ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

## TL;DR

The study uses TGA and DSC to estimate the normal boiling points of THCV and THC, finding significant differences from commonly reported values.

## Contribution

The paper provides experimentally derived boiling points for THCV and THC with confidence intervals using TGA and DSC.

## Key findings

- THCV's normal boiling point was estimated as 378 ± 4 °C.
- THC's normal boiling point was estimated as 245 ± 6 °C.
- Commonly reported values differ significantly from the experimental results.

## Abstract

Physical properties, particularly boiling point and heat of vaporization are important when designing cannabinoid purification strategies based on distillation methods and when engineering vaporization-based cannabinoid delivery commercial products.

Cannabinoid standards were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. Concentrates of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and THCV-THC mixtures were obtained from Schwazze Biosciences. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine boiling points and estimate heats of vaporization (ΔHvap).

Based on combined TGA and DSC data and the Sydney-Young equation, the 95% confidence interval for THCV normal boiling point was 378 ± 4 °C. The 95% confidence interval for THC normal boiling point was 245 ± 6 °C.

Experimental values for boiling point were significantly different from the values commonly reported for both compounds in commonly referenced sources. The values in popular literature and websites are often not referenced and do not indicate pressures for reported boiling points.