The rotary evaporator utilizes a vacuum system wherein extracts could concentrated and solvents recovered at reduced temperature and pressure; local overheating is also avoided. This means that thermally labile compounds could be recovered in good yield and concentration time would be reduced too. Normal distillation systems have the disadvantage of local overheating and attendant charring which was why systems like the rotavap were developed in the first place.
Reference
Natural Product Isolation by Alexander Gray.......
The rotary evaporator utilizes a vacuum system wherein extracts could concentrated and solvents recovered at reduced temperature and pressure; local overheating is also avoided. This means that thermally labile compounds could be recovered in good yield and concentration time would be reduced too. Normal distillation systems have the disadvantage of local overheating and attendant charring which was why systems like the rotavap were developed in the first place.
Reference
Natural Product Isolation by Alexander Gray.......