It is imperative that all equipment and reagents be absolutely dry**. One lab period before you plan to run the reaction, you should place the glassware to be used - two reaction tubes, two short vials, and a stirring rod - in a 110 °C oven to dry, along with the magnesium turnings. Use anhydrous ether as solvent. Rinse syringe and needle in dry anhydrous ether. If it appears to be dirty, obtain an unused syringe needle and syringe from stockroom. Alternatively, if the glassware, syringe, septa, and magnesium appear to be perfectly dry, they can be used without special drying. The plastic and rubber-ware should be rinsed with anhydrous ether prior to use. Do not place plastic ware in the oven. New, sealed packages of syringes can be used without prior drying. The ether used throughout this reaction must be absolutely dry. However, ether extractions of aqueous solutions can be carried out with the wet ether.