When isolating caffeine from tea, why is it important that the tea be cooled before the extraction?

Question

with methylene chloride.

Answer 1

Methylene chloride has a fairly low boiling point (about 40 C) if you mix it with tea which is nearly boiling ~100 C it will probably splatter all over. This is particularly important If your extraction is being done in a seperatory funnel because the sudden rise in pressure will probably blow the stopper out; you'll lose all your product as well as all of your grade for the lab.

Answer 2

At the tea plant I visited, the use super cooled carbon dioxide
to remove caffiene from their tea

I believe so it will go into liquid form

Answer 3

because heat increases the solubility of the caffeine in water and you want as much of it as possible dissolved in the organic phase.

Answer 4

if its warm, enough energy could cause it to blow up, or resettle :p