How does vacuum distillation help separate substances that boil at very high temperatures?

Vacuum distillation facilitates the separation of substances with high boiling points by utilizing a vacuum pump to significantly reduce the pressure of the surrounding environment.1

Because a liquid boils when its vapor pressure equals the pressure of its surroundings, lowering the external pressure allows the substance to reach its boiling point at a much lower temperature than it would under standard atmospheric pressure. This process is particularly valuable for two reasons:234

• Temperature Reduction: It enables the distillation of substances that would otherwise require inconveniently high temperatures to boil.15
• Prevention of Decomposition: By lowering the necessary boiling temperature, it minimizes the risk that heat-sensitive substances will decompose during the distillation process.15