məlˈɛkjʊlɚ stˈɪlz wɜː hɪstˈɔːɹɪkli jˈuːzd baɪ wˈɑːlɪs kˈæɹʌðɚz ɪnðə sˈɪnθəsˌɪs ʌv lˈɑːɹdʒɚ pˈɑːlɪmɚz, æz ɐ ɹɪˈækʃən pɹˈɑːdʌkt, wˈɔːɾɚ, ˌɪntəfˈɪɹd wɪð pˌɑːlɪmɚɹaɪzˈeɪʃən baɪ ʌndˈuːɪŋ ðə ɹɪˈækʃən vˈaɪə haɪdɹˈɑːləsˌɪs, bˌʌt ðə wˈɔːɾɚ kʊd biː ɹᵻmˈuːvd baɪ ðə məlˈɛkjʊlɚ stˈɪl.
Molecular stills were historically used by Wallace Carothers in the synthesis of larger polymers, as a reaction product, water, interfered with polymerization by undoing the reaction via hydrolysis, but the water could be removed by the molecular still.